Question 1

Why do we use the indicative (sommes arrivés) after de façon que in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

De façon que takes the indicative when it expresses a result or consequence that actually happened. You only use the subjunctive after de façon que when it expresses a purpose or goal (meaning "in order that"). Since the blocked road resulted in the delay, rather than being done so that they would be late, the indicative is required.

Question 2

Why is the first verb in the imperfect (était) but the second is in the passé composé (sommes arrivés)?

Accepted Answer

This is a classic mix of past tenses. The imperfect (était) sets the background scene by describing an ongoing state in the past (the road was blocked). The passé composé (sommes arrivés) is used for the specific, completed event that happened as a result.

Question 3

Could I just say nous sommes arrivés tard instead of en retard?

Accepted Answer

There is a slight difference in meaning. Tard simply means late in the day or night. En retard means late relative to a schedule or an expected time. Since the traffic delay caused them to miss their expected arrival time, en retard is the natural choice.

Question 4

I see agreements on both bloquée and arrivés. What are the rules here?

Accepted Answer

Bloquée acts as an adjective describing the feminine singular subject La route, so it gets an extra -e. Arrivés is part of the passé composé conjugated with the auxiliary verb être, meaning the past participle must agree with the plural subject nous, which gives it an -s.

La route était bloquée, de façon que nous sommes arrivés en retard.

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