Question 1

Since this lesson is about the subjunctive, why isn't there a subjunctive verb after désirer?

Accepted Answer

Verbs of wishing like désirer only trigger the subjunctive when followed by the conjunction que introducing a new action (e.g., Je désirais qu'elle vienne). In this sentence, qu' is a relative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'which', referring back to la permission. Because she isn't wishing that an action happen, but rather describing the permission she wanted, we use the indicative.

Question 2

Why use the imparfait for désirait instead of the passé composé?

Accepted Answer

The imparfait is used to describe ongoing states, feelings, or background situations in the past. Her desiring the permission was an ongoing state of mind. In contrast, the failure to obtain it is treated as a specific event on a timeline, so n'a pas encore obtenu is in the passé composé.

Question 3

Why doesn't the past participle obtenu have an extra 'e' to agree with the feminine noun permission?

Accepted Answer

When a verb forms its passé composé with avoir, the past participle only agrees with the direct object if the object comes before the verb. Here, the direct object (la permission) comes right after obtenu, so the participle remains unchanged.

Question 4

Why does encore come before the past participle instead of at the end of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

In French, short adverbial phrases of time like pas encore (not yet) typically go between the conjugated auxiliary verb (a) and the past participle (obtenu). It follows the same structural rule as standard negation with ne... pas.

Elle n'a pas encore obtenu la permission qu'elle désirait.

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