Les propositions indépendantes et subordonnées – Understanding Independent vs Subordinate Clauses in French

Key takeaways

• A proposition indépendante (independent clause) can stand alone as a complete sentence.
• A proposition subordonnée (subordinate clause) depends on a main clause for meaning.
• Types of subordinate clauses: relative, conjonctive, circonstancielle.
• Subordinate clauses often begin with relative pronouns (qui, que, dont, où) or conjunctions (parce que, si, quand).
• Mastering clauses helps learners create more complex, natural sentences in French.

What Is a Proposition Indépendante?

A proposition indépendante is a complete thought that makes sense on its own. It has a subject and a verb and does not rely on any other clause.

Examples:

• Je lis un livre. → I’m reading a book.
• Marie chante très bien. → Marie sings very well.

What Is a Proposition Subordonnée?

A proposition subordonnée depends on a main clause (proposition principale). It cannot stand alone because its meaning is incomplete.

Example:

• Je sais qu’il est fatigué. → I know that he is tired. 
  Here, qu’il est fatigué is the subordinate clause, attached to Je sais.

Types of Subordinate Clauses

1. Proposition subordonnée relative

Introduced by a relative pronoun (qui, que, dont, où).

• Le livre que j’ai acheté est intéressant. → The book that I bought is interesting.

2. Proposition subordonnée conjonctive

Introduced by a conjunction (que, si).

• Je pense que tu as raison. → I think that you are right.
• Dis-moi si tu viens. → Tell me if you’re coming.

3. Proposition subordonnée circonstancielle

Provides circumstances: time, cause, consequence, condition, purpose. Introduced by words like parce que, quand, comme, afin que.

• Je pars parce qu’il est tard. → I’m leaving because it’s late.
• Nous sortirons quand il fera beau. → We’ll go out when the weather is nice.

Independent vs Subordinate Clauses – Side by Side

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Examples in Context

• Il travaille dur parce qu’il veut réussir. → He works hard because he wants to succeed.
• C’est l’étudiante qui a gagné le prix. → She’s the student who won the prize.
• Je ne sais pas si elle viendra. → I don’t know if she will come.
• Le jour où nous nous sommes rencontrés restera spécial. → The day when we met will remain special.

Common Mistakes

• Forgetting to use a relative pronoun (Le livre j’ai acheté ❌ → Le livre que j’ai acheté ✅).
• Mixing independent sentences with subordinate ones without a connector.
• Misplacing conjunctions in conjonctive clauses.

Exercises: Practice Independent vs Subordinate Clauses

1. Identify the clause type

• Elle danse quand elle est heureuse. → ________
• Nous avons fini le travail. → ________
• Je crois qu’il a raison. → ________

2. Translate into French

• I will wait until you arrive.
• The girl who is singing is my sister.
• We stayed because it was raining.

3. Correct the mistakes

• ❌ Le film je regarde est bon.
• ❌ Je pars il pleut.

Answers

1. circonstancielle | indépendante | conjonctive
2. J’attendrai jusqu’à ce que tu arrives | La fille qui chante est ma sœur | Nous sommes restés parce qu’il pleuvait
3. Le film que je regarde est bon | Je pars parce qu’il pleut

Tips for Mastering Clauses in French

• Always identify whether the sentence can stand alone (independent) or needs a connector (subordinate).
• Learn the common relative pronouns (qui, que, dont, où).
• Practice with common conjunctions (parce que, si, quand, lorsque, afin que).
• Read authentic French texts to see how subordinate clauses make writing more fluid.

For more insights, explore French verb tenses. To improve your study habits, check learning French effectively. And to see how long it takes to reach fluency, visit learn French fluently.

Summary

Independent clauses (propositions indépendantes) stand alone, while subordinate clauses (propositions subordonnées) depend on a main clause. Subordinate clauses can be *relative, conjonctive, or circonstancielle.

By practicing with real examples and connectors, you’ll learn to build more advanced sentences like Je sais qu’il viendra or Le jour où nous avons parlé. Over time, clause mastery will make you sound more natural as you learn French with Promova.