Word
Le partenariat est exclusif, à moins que le contrat ne soit annulé par le client.
Meaning
The partnership is exclusive, unless the contract is canceled by the client.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of Le partenariat est exclusif, à moins que le contrat ne soit annulé par le client.
être
to be
ne
not (used before the verb)
le client
the client / the customer
annuler
to cancel
Questions & Answers about Le partenariat est exclusif, à moins que le contrat ne soit annulé par le client.
Why do we use soit instead of est here?
The phrase à moins que (unless) always requires the subjunctive mood because it introduces a hypothetical condition. Therefore, we use soit, the subjunctive form of être, rather than the indicative est.
What is the ne doing in ne soit annulé? Does it mean the contract is not canceled?
No, the clause is affirmative. This is the ne explétif (expletive ne). It does not negate the verb—notice there is no pas. It is a formal, optional word commonly used in written French after certain conjunctions like à moins que and avant que, as well as verbs of fearing. You do not translate it into English.
What grammar structure is soit annulé?
It is the passive voice, conjugated in the subjunctive mood. In the passive voice, the subject receives the action instead of doing it (the contract is canceled). It is formed using the auxiliary verb être in the subjunctive (soit) followed by the past participle (annulé).
Would annulé change if the subject were feminine, like la transaction instead of le contrat?
Yes, it would become annulée with an extra e. In the passive voice, because the auxiliary verb is être, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject receiving the action.