Breakdown of Ils ont expliqué qu'ils se séparaient.
ils
they (masculine/mixed)
avoir
to have
expliquer
to explain
que
that (introducing a clause)
se séparer
to separate
Questions & Answers about Ils ont expliqué qu'ils se séparaient.
Why is se séparaient in the imparfait tense instead of the present tense?
This is the sequence of tenses in action! If they were speaking directly, they would say, "We are separating" (Nous nous séparons, present tense). Because the reporting verb is in the past (Ils ont expliqué), the reported speech must step back in time. The present tense shifts back to the imparfait (se séparaient).
Could I use the present tense (qu'ils se séparent) if they are still in the process of separating right now?
In casual spoken French, you might sometimes hear native speakers use the present tense if the situation is still true at this exact moment. However, strict grammar rules require you to match the past timeline. Since the introduction (Ils ont expliqué) is in the past, you must backshift the reported action to the imparfait.
Why is there a se before séparaient?
Why does the word que change to qu' here?
The conjunction que (meaning "that") always drops its final vowel and takes an apostrophe when the following word begins with a vowel or a silent h. This is a mandatory rule in French to make pronunciation smoother, so que ils must always become qu'ils.
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