Log inSign up

Qu'il vainque pour que la gloire revienne !

Qu'il vainque pour que la gloire revienne !
Let him conquer so that glory returns!
From Lesson 291:Third-person commands (qu'il vienne)·French

Questions & Answers about Qu'il vainque pour que la gloire revienne !

Why does the sentence start with Qu' if it's not a question?
This is a third-person command or wish, the main focus of this lesson. Starting an independent clause with Que (or Qu') plus the subjunctive translates to 'Let [someone] do [something]' or 'May [someone] do [something]'. Here, Qu'il vainque means 'Let him conquer'.
What is the infinitive of vainque, and why does it have a qu in it?
The infinitive is vaincre (to defeat / to conquer). In the present subjunctive, the third-person singular takes an -e ending. If it were spelled 'vaince', the c would make a soft 's' sound before the e. To keep the hard 'k' sound of the infinitive, the c changes to qu, making it vainque.
Why is revienne in the subjunctive?
It is triggered by the conjunction pour que (so that). Because pour que introduces a goal or a desired outcome rather than an established fact, it always requires the subjunctive mood.
Could I use gagne instead of vainque to mean 'Let him win'?
Grammatically yes, but vaincre is a better fit for the tone here. While gagner means to win (a game, a prize), vaincre means to conquer, vanquish, or overcome an adversary. This stronger meaning pairs perfectly with the dramatic tone of glory returning (la gloire revienne).

Learn Qu'il vainque pour que la gloire revienne and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning French →