Question 1

What role does quelque play here, and why wouldn't it be plural if the noun were plural?

Accepted Answer

In this structure, quelque acts as an adverb meaning 'however.' Because it modifies the adjective profonde rather than a noun, it is invariable. It will never take an 's' in this pattern, even if the noun is plural (for example, quelque profondes que soient les fosses).

Question 2

Why is the word order que soit la fosse instead of que la fosse soit?

Accepted Answer

In concessive clauses using quelque... que, it is standard to invert the verb and the subject when the subject is a noun. If the subject is a pronoun, you use standard word order (for example, quelque profonde qu'elle soit).

Question 3

Why do we use the subjunctive soit instead of the indicative est?

Accepted Answer

The structure quelque [adjective] que introduces a concession ('however deep it may be'). In French, this framing of a hypothetical extreme always triggers the subjunctive mood.

Question 4

Is there another common way to construct this same concession?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can replace quelque with si. The phrase si profonde que soit la fosse uses the exact same grammar rules and means the exact same thing.

Quelque profonde que soit la fosse, le sous-marin descend.

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