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Il est important que le propriétaire soit strict.

Il est important que le propriétaire soit strict.
It is important that the landlord be strict.
From Lesson 183:Present subjunctive of to be and to have (être, avoir)·French

Questions & Answers about Il est important que le propriétaire soit strict.

Why do we use soit here instead of est?
We use the subjunctive mood because the sentence starts with Il est important que (It is important that), which is an expression of necessity or judgment. Soit is the irregular il/elle/on subjunctive form of être (to be).
Will Il est important que always trigger the subjunctive?
Yes! Expressions using Il est + [adjective of necessity or judgment] + que almost always require the subjunctive. Other common examples include Il est nécessaire que (It is necessary that) and Il est essentiel que (It is essential that).
In the English translation, it says "that the landlord be strict" rather than "is strict". Is that related to the French grammar?
Exactly! English actually uses the subjunctive here too ("be" instead of "is" after expressions of importance). French does the exact same thing, but uses it much more frequently and has specific verb forms for it, like soit.
Does propriétaire only mean "landlord"?
Propriétaire broadly means "owner." In the context of housing or renting, it translates to "landlord." If you were talking about a dog or a car, it would just mean the owner.
How do I pronounce soit? Do I say the "t" at the end?
No, the "t" is silent. Soit is pronounced exactly like the word soi (oneself) or the tu subjunctive form sois. It sounds roughly like "swah.".

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