Breakdown of L'expédition marchait comme si le blizzard n'existait pas.
ne
not (used before the verb)
pas
not (used after the verb)
marcher
to walk
exister
to exist
Questions & Answers about L'expédition marchait comme si le blizzard n'existait pas.
Why is "existait" in the imperfect tense? Shouldn't a hypothetical "as if" use the conditional or subjunctive?
In French, the phrase comme si (as if) is always followed by the imperfect tense to describe a counterfactual or hypothetical situation that happens at the same time as the main action. Even though it expresses a hypothetical, you never use the conditional or the subjunctive right after comme si.
How could we express a similar idea using the current lesson's structure: "pour" + adjective + "que" + subjonctif?
You could shift the focus to the blizzard's intensity to express a similar contrast: Pour terrible que soit le blizzard, l'expédition marchait... (However terrible the blizzard may be, the expedition walked...). Notice how this concession structure requires the subjunctive (soit), while comme si strictly takes the imperfect indicative.
Why use the imperfect "marchait" instead of the passé composé "a marché" for the expedition's action?
The imperfect marchait sets a continuous background scene. It emphasizes the ongoing nature of their progress—they were walking or kept walking despite the weather. Using the passé composé (a marché) would make it sound like a single, completed action with a clear start and end point.
Does "marchait" just mean "walked", or could it mean "functioned" here?