Question 1

Why does the sentence use Toutes (feminine plural) if it's acting like an adverb meaning "however" or "as"?

Accepted Answer

You've hit on the trickiest part of this structure! Usually, adverbs don't change form. However, when tout is used for concession before a feminine adjective that begins with a consonant or an aspirated 'h' (like novatrices), it must agree in gender and number with the subject (elles / nos esquisses). If the adjective had been masculine, or started with a vowel, it would stay as Tout.

Question 2

Why is sont in the indicative mood? Doesn't "however innovative they may be" usually trigger the subjunctive?

Accepted Answer

In many concession phrases (like bien que or quoique), you do use the subjunctive. But the specific structure tout + adjective + que strictly takes the indicative mood. You are stating their innovativeness as an established fact ("they are indeed innovative, yet..."), so the indicative sont is required.

Question 3

Where does the form novatrices come from?

Accepted Answer

It is the feminine plural of novateur (innovative). Adjectives ending in -teur often change to -trice in the feminine form, similar to acteur becoming actrice. Since it describes nos esquisses (which is a feminine plural noun), it must be novatrices.

Question 4

Could I use Bien que instead to say the same thing?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you could say Bien qu'elles soient novatrices, nos esquisses ont des défauts. Notice that with bien que, you must switch to the subjunctive (soient). The tout... que structure allows you to express the same contrasting idea while keeping the indicative mood.

Toutes novatrices qu'elles sont, nos esquisses ont des défauts.

Breakdown of Toutes novatrices qu'elles sont, nos esquisses ont des défauts.

Questions & Answers about Toutes novatrices qu'elles sont, nos esquisses ont des défauts.

Learn Toutes novatrices qu'elles sont, nos esquisses ont des défauts and more in French