Learn French: Même si la nature semble inépuisable, il est idiot de gaspiller l'énergie. - Even if nature seems inexhaustible, it is idiotic to waste energy.

Même si la nature semble inépuisable, il est idiot de gaspiller l'énergie.

Even if nature seems inexhaustible, it is idiotic to waste energy.

Breakdown of Même si la nature semble inépuisable, il est idiot de gaspiller l'énergie.

être

to be

it (impersonal subject)

Questions & Answers about Même si la nature semble inépuisable, il est idiot de gaspiller l'énergie.

How would we add a second condition like "and even if it is free" using this lesson's rule?

Instead of repeating même si, you can use que to introduce the second clause. But there is a major trap here: while même si takes the indicative, a que replacing it must be followed by the subjunctive! So you would write: Même si la nature semble inépuisable et qu'elle soit gratuite...

Why is semble in the indicative? Doesn't même si trigger the subjunctive?

It is a very common trap, but même si always takes the indicative. Even though it expresses a hypothesis or concession, it behaves just like a regular si clause. You only need the subjunctive for similar phrases like bien que or, as mentioned above, when using que to avoid repeating même si.

Why do we use il est idiot de rather than c'est idiot de?

Il est is the standard, grammatically formal way to build an impersonal expression (where "it" doesn't refer to a specific noun). You will absolutely hear c'est idiot de gaspiller in everyday spoken French, but il est idiot is considered more correct and elegant for written French.

Why is the preposition de required before gaspiller?