Question 1

Does sous prétexte que trigger the subjunctive or the indicative in the following clause?

Accepted Answer

It takes the indicative. Even though a pretext implies the excuse might be fake or doubtful, sous prétexte que simply reports the claim being made. Since the person making the excuse is stating it as a fact, you use the indicative (c'est), not the subjunctive.

Question 2

Could I translate sous prétexte que as 'claiming that' instead?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely. While 'on the pretext that' is the literal translation, 'claiming that' or 'using the excuse that' often captures the spoken English feel much better. It always carries a tone of doubt or judgment from the speaker.

Question 3

Why do we use c'est here instead of elle est, since collection is a feminine noun?

Accepted Answer

You must use c'est (instead of il/elle est) whenever you are modifying a noun that has a determiner (like une, le, or ma) in front of it. Because we have the article une before the noun collection, c'est is the grammatically required choice.

Question 4

Is there a spoken liaison between objets and inutiles?

Accepted Answer

No, it is actually forbidden to make a liaison after the plural 's' of a plural noun like objets. You pronounce the words without connecting them with a 'z' sound.

Tu amasses des objets inutiles sous prétexte que c'est une collection.

Breakdown of Tu amasses des objets inutiles sous prétexte que c'est une collection.

Questions & Answers about Tu amasses des objets inutiles sous prétexte que c'est une collection.

Learn Tu amasses des objets inutiles sous prétexte que c'est une collection and more in French