Breakdown of Je suis comblé que nous ayons reçu l'approbation.
je
I
être
to be
nous
we / us (object pronoun)
avoir
to have
Questions & Answers about Je suis comblé que nous ayons reçu l'approbation.
Why do we use the past subjunctive (ayons reçu) here instead of the present subjunctive (recevions)?
The present subjunctive (recevions) would mean the receiving is happening at the same time as the emotion. We use the past subjunctive (ayons reçu) to show anteriority, meaning the action of receiving the approval happened before the feeling of being overjoyed.
Since receiving the approval is a completed fact, why aren't we using the normal past tense (avons reçu)?
In French, phrases expressing emotion or subjective feelings (like Je suis comblé) always trigger the subjunctive in the following que clause. This rule applies even when the event is a confirmed reality.
What would happen if the sentence was 'I am overjoyed that I received the approval'?
When the subject of the emotion and the action are the same person, French avoids the subjunctive and uses the infinitive instead. You would use the past infinitive and say Je suis comblé d'avoir reçu l'approbation rather than using que.
Comblé is an interesting word choice here. What exactly does it imply compared to just being happy?