Breakdown of Ajoutez l'annexe pour que nous terminions le dossier.
nous
we / us (object pronoun)
ajouter
to add
le dossier
the file / the folder
pour que
so that
terminer
to end, to complete
l'annexe
the appendix (f)
Questions & Answers about Ajoutez l'annexe pour que nous terminions le dossier.
Why is terminions used here instead of the standard present tense terminons?
The conjunction pour que (so that) expresses a goal or purpose, which always triggers the subjunctive mood in French. Because of this, we must use the subjunctive form nous terminions.
Doesn't terminions mean "we used to finish" in the imperfect tense?
Could I just say pour terminer instead of pour que nous terminions?
Not in this sentence, because the subjects of the two actions are different. The person adding the appendix is "you" (Ajoutez), but the people finishing the file are "we" (nous). You can only use pour + infinitive when the subject is exactly the same for both halves of the sentence. Since the subjects change, you must use pour que + subjunctive.
What exactly does un dossier refer to in this context?
Learn Ajoutez l'annexe pour que nous terminions le dossier 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