To give an indirect order ("Let him come!") or declare a wish ("May she win!"), use que (or qu') followed by a subject and the present subjunctive.
Indirect commands and decrees
You will often see this structure in formal rules, dramatic decrees, or when telling a middleman what to do.
| Let the traitor keep quiet immediately! | Que le traître se taise immédiatement ! |
| Let them carry out my will! | Qu'ils exécutent ma volonté ! |
Use it in everyday conversation to simply mean "let him" or "let them" do something:
| Isn't he crying? Yes, but let him sleep! | N'est-il pas en train de pleurer ? Si, mais qu'il dorme ! |
Grand wishes and declarations
This structure is also the standard way to declare a wish, blessing, or curse (often translated with "May..." in English).
| May the traitor perish! | Que le traître périsse ! |
| May heaven bless our glory! | Que le ciel bénisse notre gloire ! |
Combining commands
For multiple commands, every verb takes the subjunctive. Notice how que is repeated before the second subject.
| Let the traitor be silent and let him bless the king! | Que le traître se taise et qu'il bénisse le roi ! |
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