A purpose clause answers the question why? — but in a forward-looking sense. Why are you working so hard? — In order to save up. Why does she carry that umbrella? — So that she's prepared. Purpose differs from cause: cause looks backward to the reason an action happened, purpose looks forward to the goal it aims at. French marks this difference precisely, with a dedicated set of connectors that take either an infinitive or a subjunctive depending on whether the subject of the main clause and the subject of the purpose clause are the same.
This page covers the full set: the everyday pour + INF and pour que + SUBJ, the formal alternatives afin de / afin que, the goal-flavored dans le but de and en vue de, the manner-tinged de manière à / de façon à / de sorte que, the negative-purpose de peur de / de crainte de / de peur que, and the colloquial histoire de. The decisive grammar point is the same-subject vs different-subject test, which determines whether you use an infinitive or a subjunctive. Master that test and the rest is register and rhetoric.
The decisive question: same subject or different subject?
Every purpose construction begins with one question: does the same person who performs the main action also perform the purposed action?
Same subject → use the infinitive form: pour, afin de, dans le but de, de manière à, en vue de + INF.
Je travaille pour gagner ma vie.
I work in order to earn a living.
(I work and I earn — same subject. Use pour + INF.)
Different subjects → use the subjunctive form: pour que, afin que, de sorte que, de manière à ce que + SUBJ.
Je travaille pour que mes enfants puissent étudier.
I work so that my children can study.
(I work and my children study — different subjects. Use pour que + SUBJ.)
This rule is rigid. You cannot say je travaille pour mes enfants étudient (no subject change with bare infinitive), nor je travaille pour que je gagne (no same-subject use of pour que). The choice of construction is determined entirely by whether the subjects coincide.
Pour + infinitive: the everyday purpose
Pour is the universal default for purpose. It is neutral in register, works in any context, and corresponds to English to or in order to.
Je vais à la boulangerie pour acheter du pain.
I'm going to the bakery to buy bread.
Elle économise pour partir en vacances l'été prochain.
She's saving up to go on holiday next summer.
On a pris un taxi pour ne pas rater le train.
We took a taxi so we wouldn't miss the train.
The negation pattern is pour ne pas + INF — note that ne pas clusters before the infinitive (the same rule as ne pas fumer on signs). It does not split around the infinitive.
When pour is followed directly by a noun (not an infinitive), the meaning is for — recipient or beneficiary, not purpose: un cadeau pour toi (a gift for you). With an infinitive, it is purpose; with a noun, it is benefactive. Same word, two functions.
Pour que + subjunctive: different-subject purpose
When the subject changes between the main clause and the purpose clause, switch from pour to pour que and from infinitive to subjunctive.
Je te prête mon livre pour que tu le lises ce soir.
I'm lending you my book so you can read it tonight.
Parle plus fort pour que tout le monde t'entende.
Speak louder so that everyone can hear you.
Elle a fermé la porte pour que les enfants ne sortent pas.
She closed the door so that the kids wouldn't go out.
The subjunctive is non-negotiable. Pour que always triggers it — there is no indicative version. This is one of the cleanest subjunctive triggers in French, and one of the easiest to internalize because the logic is transparent: a purpose is something not yet realized, and the subjunctive marks unrealized intention.
Afin de / afin que: the formal alternative
Afin de + INF and afin que + SUBJ are the more formal counterparts of pour and pour que. They mean exactly the same thing but sound more elevated — appropriate in writing, in lectures, in essays.
Nous avons rédigé ce rapport afin de clarifier nos positions.
We have drafted this report in order to clarify our positions.
Le règlement a été modifié afin que tous les employés soient mieux protégés.
The regulations were modified so that all employees would be better protected.
J'écris ce mail afin de vous informer du changement.
I'm writing this email to inform you of the change.
In speech, afin de sounds slightly bookish; pour is the natural choice. In writing — especially formal writing, business correspondence, academic prose — afin de signals careful and considered phrasing.
The same-subject rule applies: afin de + INF when subjects match, afin que + SUBJ when they differ.
Dans le but de + infinitive: emphasizing the goal
Dans le but de literally means "with the aim of" and is more emphatic than pour — it foregrounds the deliberateness of the goal. It is slightly formal and most natural in writing.
Cette campagne a été lancée dans le but d'éduquer les jeunes consommateurs.
This campaign was launched with the aim of educating young consumers.
Il a écrit ce livre dans le but de partager son expérience.
He wrote this book with the goal of sharing his experience.
Les changements sont faits dans le but d'améliorer la qualité du service.
The changes are made with the aim of improving service quality.
Dans le but de is essentially restricted to the same-subject form. For different subjects, switch to afin que or pour que — there is no dans le but que construction.
En vue de + noun (or infinitive): with a view to
En vue de + noun is the formal "with a view to" — used for projects, reforms, goals, future events. With an infinitive, it works similarly to dans le but de but tilts toward planned outcomes rather than immediate purposes.
Le gouvernement a lancé une consultation en vue d'une réforme du système.
The government has launched a consultation with a view to reforming the system.
Elle suit des cours en vue de devenir traductrice.
She's taking classes with a view to becoming a translator.
On organise une réunion en vue d'une décision finale.
We're organizing a meeting with a view to a final decision.
This is bureaucratic and journalistic French. It implies a planned trajectory toward a goal, not an immediate purpose.
De manière à / de façon à + infinitive: so as to
De manière à and de façon à are essentially synonyms. They mean so as to or in such a way as to — they emphasize the manner by which a goal is achieved.
Range tes affaires de manière à pouvoir les retrouver facilement.
Tidy your things so as to be able to find them easily.
Elle parle lentement de façon à se faire bien comprendre.
She speaks slowly so as to make herself well understood.
Place le miroir de manière à éviter les reflets.
Place the mirror so as to avoid reflections.
For different subjects, both expand to de manière à ce que / de façon à ce que + SUBJ. This is one of the few constructions where the que form requires the explicit à ce que connective:
Parle plus lentement de manière à ce que tout le monde comprenne.
Speak more slowly so that everyone understands.
De sorte que + subjunctive (purpose) vs indicative (result)
De sorte que is the trickiest connector on this list because it can mean either purpose (so that) or result (so that, with the consequence that). The mood distinguishes them.
Purpose (with subjunctive): the action is intended to bring about the goal.
J'ai laissé un mot de sorte qu'il sache où me trouver.
I left a note so that he would know where to find me. (purpose)
Result (with indicative): the action had a particular consequence — the speaker is reporting an outcome, not stating an intention.
Il a parlé doucement, de sorte que personne ne l'a entendu.
He spoke quietly, so that nobody heard him. (result)
This is the same mood-difference logic that runs through French: subjunctive marks unrealized intention; indicative marks realized fact. Apply the test: was the goal aimed at, or is the speaker reporting a consequence?
Histoire de + infinitive: the colloquial purpose
Histoire de is purely colloquial and means roughly just to or if only to. It signals a casual, slightly playful purpose, often without much deliberation.
On a regardé un film histoire de se détendre.
We watched a movie just to relax.
J'ai appelé histoire de prendre des nouvelles.
I called just to check in.
Allons faire un tour, histoire de prendre l'air.
Let's go for a walk, just to get some fresh air.
This is everyday spoken French. Avoid it in writing. It conveys a casual, unhurried purpose — not because we had to, but just because.
De peur de / de crainte de: negative purpose
When the purpose is to avoid a feared outcome — for fear of, lest — French uses de peur de + INF (same subject) or de peur que + SUBJ (different subjects). De crainte de / de crainte que is the slightly more formal version.
Same subject:
Il a fermé la fenêtre de peur d'avoir froid.
He closed the window for fear of being cold.
Elle parle bas de crainte de réveiller le bébé.
She speaks softly for fear of waking the baby.
Different subjects (with subjunctive — and often with the optional ne explétif):
Elle a fermé la porte de peur que les enfants (ne) sortent.
She closed the door for fear that the children might go out.
Je n'ose pas parler de crainte qu'il (ne) se fâche.
I don't dare speak for fear he might get angry.
The ne explétif — that decorative ne before the verb in de peur que clauses — is optional in modern French and is more characteristic of formal writing. De peur qu'il tombe and de peur qu'il ne tombe both mean the same thing: for fear he might fall. The ne does not negate; it just signals worry or apprehension.
Choosing the right connector: a register map
| Construction | Register | Form | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| pour / pour que | neutral | INF / SUBJ | default purpose |
| afin de / afin que | formal | INF / SUBJ | written, formal |
| dans le but de | formal | INF | emphasizing goal, same subject |
| en vue de | formal | nominal/INF | with-a-view-to, planned |
| de manière à / de façon à (ce que) | neutral | INF / SUBJ | so as to, manner-flavored |
| de sorte que | formal | SUBJ (purpose) / IND (result) | mood signals meaning |
| histoire de | colloquial | INF | just to, casual purpose |
| de peur de / de peur que | neutral/formal | INF / SUBJ | negative purpose |
| de crainte de / de crainte que | formal | INF / SUBJ | negative purpose |
A worked example: the same purpose in three registers
To see the register effect, take the same intention — I'm explaining this so you understand — and run it through different connectors.
Je t'explique ça pour que tu comprennes.
I'm explaining this so you understand. (neutral)
Je t'explique ça afin que tu comprennes.
I'm explaining this so that you may understand. (formal)
Je t'explique ça histoire que tu comprennes.
I'm explaining this just so you get it. (colloquial)
The neutral form (pour que) is the safe default. Afin que is for writing. Histoire de / histoire que is for casual speech.
Common Mistakes
❌ Je travaille pour mes enfants étudient.
Incorrect — different subjects require 'pour que' + subjunctive, not bare infinitive.
✅ Je travaille pour que mes enfants étudient.
I work so that my children can study.
❌ Je travaille pour que je gagne ma vie.
Incorrect — same subject requires 'pour' + infinitive, not 'pour que'.
✅ Je travaille pour gagner ma vie.
I work in order to earn a living.
❌ Pour que tu comprends, je répète.
Incorrect — pour que requires the subjunctive.
✅ Pour que tu comprennes, je répète.
So that you understand, I'm repeating.
❌ Je viens pour ne fumer pas.
Incorrect — for the negation in an infinitive, 'ne pas' clusters together before the verb.
✅ Je viens pour ne pas fumer.
I'm coming so as not to smoke.
❌ De manière à tu comprends.
Incorrect — different-subject form requires 'de manière à ce que' + subjunctive.
✅ De manière à ce que tu comprennes.
So that you understand.
❌ De peur de qu'il tombe.
Incorrect — different-subject negative purpose is 'de peur que' (with no 'de' before 'que').
✅ De peur qu'il (ne) tombe.
For fear that he might fall.
Key Takeaways
The single decisive question for any purpose construction is same subject or different subject. Same subject takes the infinitive form (pour, afin de, dans le but de, de manière à, en vue de, de peur de, histoire de); different subjects take the que form with the subjunctive (pour que, afin que, de sorte que, de manière à ce que, de peur que).
The register layer sits on top: pour / pour que is the universal default, afin de / afin que is formal, histoire de is colloquial, en vue de and dans le but de are bureaucratic, de peur de / de crainte de expresses negative purpose. Once you can switch fluently among them, you can express any goal at any level of formality.
The ne explétif in de peur que clauses is decorative and optional in modern French. Don't worry about it; recognize it when you see it.
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- Les Subordonnées CausalesB1 — How French expresses cause — parce que, car, puisque, comme, du fait que, vu que, sous prétexte que — and the choice between them, plus the noun-phrase causes 'à cause de' (negative) and 'grâce à' (positive). All take the indicative.
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- Prepositions of Cause and PurposeB1 — French distinguishes positive cause (grâce à) from negative cause (à cause de), and offers a layered hierarchy of purpose prepositions from everyday pour to formal afin de and en vue de. This page maps the whole field.
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