To say "however difficult it may be" or "no matter how steep it is," French uses a specific structure with si.
However... (Si... que)
To express concession like "however [adjective] the [noun] may be," use this formula:
si + adjective + que + subjunctive verb + subject noun
Note these key rules:
- The adjective agrees with the subject.
- When the subject is a noun, it typically comes after the verb. The verb is in the subjunctive (usually soit or soient).
| However steep the ascent may be, the mountaineer wants to reach the summit. | Si abrupte que soit l'ascension, l'alpiniste veut atteindre le sommet. |
| However slippery the glacier may be, they are going to cross the crevasse. | Si glissant que soit le glacier, ils vont traverser la crevasse. |
If the subject is a pronoun (like il or elle), it comes before the verb:
si + adjective + qu' + pronoun + subjunctive verb
| However tired he may be, the mountaineer is going to reach the camp. | Si fatigué qu'il soit, l'alpiniste va atteindre le camp. |
Extreme Ascents
When preparing for an extreme ascent (l'ascension), a mountaineer (l'alpiniste) faces perilous (périlleux) cliffs and freezing (glacial) winds.
| However perilous the cliff may be, you should climb slowly. | Si périlleuse que soit la falaise, tu devrais grimper lentement. |
| However freezing the wind may be, we must avoid the avalanche. | Si glacial que soit le vent, nous devons éviter l'avalanche. |
You can also use this vocabulary in standard sentences to describe the dangers of the mountain.
| You should avoid this crevasse because the snow is slippery. | Vous devriez éviter cette crevasse parce que la neige est glissante. |
| We did not know where to sleep at this freezing altitude. | Nous ne savions pas où dormir à cette altitude glaciale. |
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