Breakdown of J'ai peur que cette inaction climatique continue.
je
I
ce
this (before a noun)
continuer
to continue
avoir peur
to be afraid
que
that (introducing a clause)
l'inaction (f)
the inaction (f)
climatique
climatic
Questions & Answers about J'ai peur que cette inaction climatique continue.
This lesson focuses on factive clauses like 'le fait que'. Does 'avoir peur que' work the same way?
Yes! Both le fait que (the fact that) and avoir peur que (to be afraid that) introduce a subordinate clause based on a subjective reaction, emotion, or evaluation of a fact. These factive and emotional triggers require the verb in the following clause to be in the subjunctive mood.
The English translation says 'will continue' (future), but continue is in the present subjunctive. Why?
Is continue actually in the subjunctive here? It looks exactly like the normal present tense.
Good eye! For regular -er verbs like continuer, the present subjunctive forms are identical to the present indicative for je, tu, il/elle/on, and ils/elles. You only see the distinct subjunctive spelling in the nous and vous forms, such as que nous continuions.
Could I say J'ai peur que cette inaction climatique continuera to make the future meaning clearer?
No, that would be grammatically incorrect. Once j'ai peur que triggers the subjunctive, you are locked into that mood. You cannot swap in the future indicative (continuera) just to clarify the timeline.
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