Random Questions About the French Language
 

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Just thought this subforum could use a place to ask particular questions about any ol' subject.

So, I'll start us off:
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Par exemple, si on dit en français, "I don't know who you picked," faudrait-il utiliser le subjonctif à cause de l'incertitude? Donc, est-ce qu'on dirait, "Je ne sais pas qui vous ayez choisi" / "Je ne sais pas qui tu aies choisi"?

Aussi, si on dit, "I don't know if they are with us," dirait-on, "Je ne sais pas s'ils/elles sont avec nous" ou "Je ne sais pas s'ils/elles soient avec nous"? Je sais que le subjonctif exige le "que" et dans ce cas il n'y en a pas, donc aurais-je raison de ne pas utiliser le subjonctif?

About the subjunctive, it's a very hard descision. It's used in cases of doubt, which is portrayed here, but in italian, where the subjuncitve is heavily used, it's even optional in that sentence, and in french, where I don't think it's used very much, it might be okay to exclude using it here.

When dealing in noun clauses, such as your first example, it is when the verb itself is doubtful (préférer que, regretter que) that subjunctive comes in to play. It can also go with the negative forms of croire and penser, but not the affirmatives. Savior, to know, is a definite verb, so I don't believe subjunctive would be used here.

In adjective clauses, such as the second example, one uses the subjunctive if the whole of the antecedant phrase is negative or indefinite. As "I don't know if they..." is a negative phrase, I believe you would use the subjuctive in the second case. Were it changed to "I know they are not with us" then it would be back to the indicative, as "I know they..." is an affirmative statement, even if it becomes negative later on.

yea thts a good tip bc im goin to france in lk 2 weeks
hope i see Alizee there

Hmm... this whole business is rather tricky. I'll have to do a little more research in addition to all the help you guys have provided.

Merci! :)

hi
you're right
you only use subjonctif when you express an opinion:
je ne sais pas si elles sont avec nous it's just a constatation
je ne pense pas qu'elles soient avec nous you include an opinion with the verb "penser", same with "croire"
same as italian actually: penso che, mi pare che, mi sembra che etc...
you can use impersonal too: il ne me semble pas qu'elles soient avec nous
you can torture ppl by using l'imparfait du subjonctif too: il ne me semblait pas qu'elles fûtent avec nous
I don't know if I'm true though, my french is very bad
cheers

I just got a small little question here, what's the difference between "voudrais" and "veux"? Like how do I know if I should use " Je voudrais, or Je veux"? Or are they just the same

Je voudrais = I would like
Je veux = I want.

1st one is more polite.

Sounds pretty much the same to me, but yeah its different. Thanx a lot Garcon

One question: :D,
whats the difference when pronouncing Mademoiselle
I've heard it: Mad-moiselle
and: Madumoiselle (like heard in Alizee's MJ)
Hope someone may help, merci!