Breakdown of Nous voulons conclure l'accord, à moins que l'acompte ne soit trop gros.
être
to be
nous
we / us (object pronoun)
ne
not (used before the verb)
vouloir
to want
trop
too, too much
gros
big, fat
l'accord
the agreement (m)
à moins que
unless
l'acompte
the down payment (m)
conclure
to conclude
Questions & Answers about Nous voulons conclure l'accord, à moins que l'acompte ne soit trop gros.
Why is soit in the subjunctive here?
The conjunction à moins que (unless) expresses a condition or restriction that is uncertain, which triggers the subjunctive mood in French. Therefore, we use soit (the subjunctive of être) instead of the indicative est.
Why is there a ne before soit even though the sentence isn't negative?
This is known as the ne explétif. It is a formal, non-negative ne often used after certain conjunctions like à moins que (unless) and avant que (before). It doesn't mean "not" and doesn't take a pas. While you can drop it in everyday spoken French, it is standard in writing and formal speech.
Is acompte the usual word for a deposit?
L'acompte specifically refers to a "down payment" or a partial payment made in advance to secure a purchase. It legally commits both parties to the sale. If you are talking about a security deposit for renting an apartment, you would use a different word: la caution.
Why use gros instead of grand for "big" here?
While grand generally describes physical tallness, surface area, or abstract greatness, gros emphasizes volume, thickness, or a substantial quantity. When describing a sum of money or a financial amount like a down payment, French naturally uses gros to mean "large" or "hefty."
Learn Nous voulons conclure l'accord, à moins que l'acompte ne soit trop gros 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