Learn French: Le virus va infecter son ordinateur à moins que le système ne trouve la faille. - The virus is going to infect his computer unless the system finds the flaw.

Le virus va infecter son ordinateur à moins que le système ne trouve la faille.

The virus is going to infect his computer unless the system finds the flaw.

Breakdown of Le virus va infecter son ordinateur à moins que le système ne trouve la faille.

Questions & Answers about Le virus va infecter son ordinateur à moins que le système ne trouve la faille.

Why is there a ne before trouve if the English translation isn't negative?

This is called the ne explétif. It doesn't negate the verb; instead, it is a stylistic word triggered by certain expressions of warning, condition, or time, such as à moins que (unless), avant que (before), and de peur que (for fear that). It adds a slight sense of doubt or caution but doesn't change the literal meaning of the sentence.

Is the ne explétif mandatory after à moins que?

No, it is entirely optional. Using it sounds more elegant and is standard in written or formal French. In casual, everyday spoken French, native speakers often drop it and simply say ... à moins que le système trouve la faille.

I know à moins que requires the subjunctive mood. Is trouve in the subjunctive here?

Yes, it is! For regular -er verbs like trouver, the present subjunctive forms for je, tu, il/elle/on, and ils/elles are identical to the present indicative. So even though trouve looks like the normal present tense you learned early on, it is grammatically functioning as the subjunctive here.

Could I rephrase this sentence using si (if) instead of à moins que?