Question 1

Why does this sentence use the indicative est after il me semble que instead of the subjunctive?

Accepted Answer

In French, il me semble que (it seems to me that) expresses a personal opinion or a near-certainty, so it is followed by the indicative mood (est). If the sentence used the impersonal il semble que (it seems that) without the pronoun me, it would express doubt or uncertainty, which requires the subjunctive (soit).

Question 2

Why use puisque instead of parce que here?

Accepted Answer

Puisque is used when the reason is already known to the listener or is presented as an undeniable fact, which pairs perfectly with the phrase c'est évident (it is obvious). You use parce que when you are introducing brand new information to answer a 'why' question.

Question 3

Could I say il est évident instead of c'est évident in this clause?

Accepted Answer

You could, but c'est évident sounds much more natural here. We use c'est because it refers back to a specific situation or fact that is already understood in the conversation. Il est évident is typically used as an impersonal expression to introduce a new clause, such as il est évident que... (it is obvious that...).

Question 4

Is une certitude a common way to say a certainty in French?

Accepted Answer

Yes, une certitude is the standard noun for a certainty or a sure thing. It is frequently used in both everyday speech and professional contexts to show absolute confidence in an outcome.

Puisque c'est évident, il me semble que cette décision est une certitude.

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