Question 1

Why do we use the indicative mood (commence) after étant donné que here instead of the subjunctive?

Accepted Answer

The connector étant donné que (given that) introduces an established, objective fact that explains a situation. Because it deals with certainty and facts rather than doubt, subjective opinion, or emotion, it always takes the regular indicative mood.

Question 2

What is the nuance of using étant donné que here instead of a simple parce que?

Accepted Answer

While both express a cause, étant donné que translates to "given that" or "considering that". It frames the cause as a widely known context or an established premise (everyone knows the school year is starting) that justifies the situation, whereas parce que simply gives a direct answer to "why?".

Question 3

How does the word certes function in the first half of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

Certes means "admittedly" or "certainly". It is an adverb used to concede a point before introducing a counter-argument or contrast. It pairs perfectly with the mais (but) that follows, creating a "Sure, X is true, but Y..." structure.

Question 4

Is la charge the standard way to say "the workload"?

Accepted Answer

Literally, la charge means "the load" or "the burden". The full phrase for "workload" is la charge de travail, but in an academic or professional context like this one, it is completely natural to shorten it to just la charge.

L'enseignement est certes difficile, mais la charge est normale étant donné que l'année commence.

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