The Conditional Conjunctions are si, sinon que, à moins que, pourvu que, supposé que, pour peu que, en cas que, etc., etc.* (§ 441). In Latin, if the Conditional sentence deals with facts, the Subjunctive is not employed. But if uncertainty and unreality exist, the Subjunctive follows in the Protasis or the Apodosis, or in both. It is mainly a question of degree. In French, on the contrary, the use of mood in the conditional sentence seems in a great measure independent of this principle, for: 1. In the Protasis, si, sinon que, almost always have the Indicative, however unreal the assertion, whereas the other Conditional Conjunctions have the Subjunctive, even when the doubt is much less than that expressed by si. 2. In the Apodosis the Subjunctive (with one exception) is never employed. A. 'Si,' with Indicative Protasis. Le bien qu'on fait n'est jamais perdu; si les hommes l'oublient, les dieux s'en souviennent. (FENELON.) Si j'entre dans la Laconie je vous en chasserai tous, ils lui répondirent: Si. (BARTHÉLEMY.) (Académie.) (SCRIBE.) S'il revenait, vous seriez fort embarrassé. (ERCKMANN CHÂTRIAN.) Si l'on te calomnie, ne réponds pas; si l'on t'offense, garde le silence. (NAPOLÉON III.) * In older English, the Subjunctive in the Protasis, without Conjunctions, was common; but in modern English a more frequent construction is the Indicative with suitable Conjunctions, or with such Auxiliaries as could, would, should etc. (See Abbott's Shakesperian Grammar, pp. 260-264.) Were I, Had I, If I were, If I had, are now almost the only forms in regular use, even in conditional sentences where it is desired to express strong doubt. B. 'Si,' with Protasis in the Conditional Mood form. If you had gone Si vous seriez allé je serais allé Si vous auriez de la répugnance à me voir votre belle-mère, je n'en aurais pas moins à vous voir mon beau-fils. (MOLIÈRE.) C. Si,' with Subjunctive Protasis (only found in one tense). Had he gone S'il y fût allé I should have gone j'y serais allé Sage s'il eût remis une légère offense. Si c'eût été l'œil droit, je l'aurais guéri. (LA FONTAINE.) (VOLTAIRE.) Je me serais consolé, si Monsieur le Comte eût succombé. (BOUILLY.) A second oblique clause often exchanges si for que with Subjunctive. Si le roi m'avait donné Paris sa grand' ville Et qu'il m'eût fallu quitter (MOLIÈRE.) D. Subjunctive Protasis, with various conjunctions. It may perhaps be possible sometimes to trace greater doubt and unreality, where these conjunctions are used, than in many instances where si with the Indicative is employed. E. Apodosis in Subjunctive Mood (only found in one tense). S'il avait pu il l'eût fait. S'il n'était pas venu, j'eusse fini mon ouvrage. Si ces observations avaient été répétées, si elles s'étaient trouvées justes, l'expérience eût pu former un art, etc. (VOLTAIRE.) Si les Titans avaient chassé du ciel Jupiter, les poètes eussent chanté les Titans. (ID.) F. Both Apodosis and Protasis in Subjunctive: Si j'eusse été surpris, quels traitements n'eussé-je point essuyés. (J. J. ROUSSEAU.) Mais si Molière eût traité ce sujet, il l'eût dirigé vers un but philosophique. (CHAMFORT.) § 484. Concessive Sentences (granting that). A Concessive Sentence is only a form of the Conditional, and needs no special explanation. It is so called because in it the Protasis concedes something, and upon this concession the conclusion of the Apodosis is based. But here, as in the pure Conditional, the Protasis may be a sentence or a mere phrase. In some of the examples already given, Concessive meaning may no doubt be detected. A few additional examples will suffice: Ils mouraient tous, soit que nous les traitassions fort mal, soit que leurs maladies fussent incurables. (LE SAGE.) Quelque puissants qu'ils soient, je ne les crains point. Tout auteur que je sois, je ne suis pas jaloux. (Académie.) (RONSARD.) Tout cassé que je suis je cours toute la ville. (CORNEILLE.) Quand le malheur ne serait bon Qu'à mettre un sot à la raison, Qu'on le dit bon à quelque chose. (LA FONTAINE.) Quand vous me haïriez, je ne m'en plaindrais pas. (RACINE.) En cas que vous persistiez, il faudra que j'allègue, etc. Quoique j'aie très bonne opinion de moi. (MONTESQUIEU.) Oui, je vous injurierai jusqu'à ce que je vous die guéri de votre paresse. (VOLTAIRE.) A moins que vous preniez bien votre temps vous n'en viendrez pas à bout. (Académie.) Je demeurais quelquefois une heure sans qu'on m'eût regardé. (MONTESQUIEU.) Pourvu qu'on sache la passion dominante de quelqu'un on est assuré de lui plaire. (PASCAL.) A condition que has either Indicative or Subjunctive. Je vous donne cet argent à condition que vous partiez demain (or) que vous partirez demain. Je vous ai donné cet argent à condition que vous partiriez (or) que vous partissiez demain. (From LITTRÉ.) CHAPTER III.-TENSES.* PRINCIPAL SENTENCE. § 485. Simple Present. REGULAR USE. To express what its name implies, indefinite action or state, in present time. (Compare Simple Past and Simple Future.) Je le vois, I see it. § 486. Imperfect Present. REGULAR USE. To express what its name implies, present action or state, as unfinished, habitual, etc. (Compare Imperfect Past and Imperfect Future.) Pendant que vous dormez, je travaille. Whilst you are sleeping, I am working. Je lis beaucoup. I read a great deal. The English Simple Present, I write, and the Imperfect Present, I am writing, are in French expressed by one form. The two tenses are combined in the following remarks : IRREGULAR USE. 1. As an immediate Simple Future, especially when the futurity is sufficiently marked by an adverbial expression. It often alternates with future forms. Demain la trève expire; la guerre recommencera. To-morrow the truce expires; the war will begin again. 2. As a Simple Past, to give life to the narrative (Historic Present). It often alternates with past forms. Un lundi en rentrant, je trouve un de mes camarades. Dès qu'il m'aperçut, "Viens voir, me dit-il, viens voir." J'accours. (LEGOUVÉ.) One Monday, in coming in, I find one of my school-fellows. As soon as he saw me he said to me, "Come and see, come and see." I run. 3. As a Perfect Present. Il y a un an que vous êtes à Paris. You have been (now) a year in Paris. § 487. Perfect Present. REGULAR USE. To express what its name implies, finished action or state in present time. (Compare Perfect Past and Perfect Future.) Hence, 1. Action past, but connected with the present by such words as aujourd'hui, cette semaine, cette année, etc. Cette année la moisson a été bonne. 2. Action past, but connected with the Present by the absence of any fixed period, such as a date, etc., to which the idea of past momentary action can be attached : Napoléon est mort à St. Hélène. Napoleon died at St. Helena. 3. Action past, but of which the consequences remain. This is true of all Perfect tenses. Le malade a passé une bonne nuit; il est mieux. The sick man has passed a good night; he is better. On peut dire que les Romains nous ont enseigné l'agriculture. (LACOMBE.) We may say that the Romans taught us agriculture. IRREGULAR USE. 4. To express indefinite past action or state. In conversation, etc., the Perfect Present forms are more commonly employed than those of the Simple Past tensepossibly because, as a rule in conversation, only such subjects are spoken of as are lately past. (Compare above, 3.) Je te dirai seulement ce que j'ai vu. I will tell you only what I saw. 5. To express an immediate Simple Future: |