Question 1

Why do we use the subjunctive aille instead of the regular present tense va?

Accepted Answer

The phrase avant que (before) is a time conjunction that always requires the subjunctive mood for the verb that follows it. Because of this rule, aller (to go) must be conjugated as aille here.

Question 2

Is the subjunctive form of aller completely irregular?

Accepted Answer

It is irregular, but it follows a pattern. For most subjects (je, tu, il/elle/on, and ils/elles), it uses the stem aill-, which gives us elle aille in this sentence. However, for nous and vous, it switches to the stem all-, giving us nous allions and vous alliez.

Question 3

Why does the sentence use elle if it's talking about dough?

Accepted Answer

In French, pronouns must match the gender of the noun they replace. Since la pâte (the dough) is a feminine noun, we have to use the feminine pronoun elle (it) to refer back to it.

Question 4

Could I say dans le four instead of au four to mean 'into the oven'?

Accepted Answer

You could, and dans le four is grammatically correct. However, au four (which is a contraction of à + le) is the standard, everyday expression used in French cooking when you are putting something in the oven to bake.

Il met la pâte dans le moule avant qu'elle aille au four.

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