Question 1

Since we are studying the past subjunctive, how would you change this sentence to say "I am surprised that the intern asked for a raise"?

Accepted Answer

You would drop the recent past structure (vient de) and put demander into the past subjunctive. It becomes: Je suis surpris que le stagiaire ait demandé une augmentation. You use the present subjunctive of the auxiliary avoir (ait) plus the past participle (demandé).

Question 2

Why is vient de translated as "just" instead of "comes from"?

Accepted Answer

The phrase venir de followed by an infinitive (like demander) forms the recent past. While it literally translates to "comes from asking", in French this is the standard way to express that someone "just" did something.

Question 3

I often confuse demander and poser. Could I use poser here?

Accepted Answer

No, because poser is only used when asking a question (poser une question). When you are requesting a thing or an action, like asking for a raise, you must use demander. Note that demander already implies "asking for", so you do not add a preposition like pour.

Question 4

Does une augmentation specifically mean a pay raise?

Accepted Answer

In an employment context, yes, it is universally understood as a pay raise (which is short for une augmentation de salaire). In broader contexts, it simply means an increase, such as une augmentation des impôts (a tax increase).

Le stagiaire vient de demander une augmentation.

Breakdown of Le stagiaire vient de demander une augmentation.

Questions & Answers about Le stagiaire vient de demander une augmentation.

Learn Le stagiaire vient de demander une augmentation and more in French