Learn Hardcore French: Je ferme la porte pour que le chat ne sorte pas. - I close the door so that the cat does not go out.

Because pour que introduces a purpose clause and requires the subjunctive. The verb sortir in the present subjunctive (3rd person singular) is qu’il/elle sorte. So we say: pour que le chat ne sorte pas, not ne sort pas.

Can I say pour que le chat ne sort pas or pour que le chat ne sortira pas?

No. After pour que, you need the present subjunctive: ne sorte pas. Using the indicative (sort) or future (sortira) is incorrect here. Correct: pour que le chat ne sorte pas.

When do I use pour + infinitive vs pour que + subjunctive?

Use pour + infinitive when the subject of both actions is the same: Je ferme la porte pour empêcher les courants d’air.
Use pour que + subjunctive when the subjects differ: Je ferme la porte pour que le chat ne sorte pas (I vs the cat).

Is there a way to avoid the subjunctive here?

Yes, rephrase with an infinitive construction:

Je ferme la porte pour empêcher le chat de sortir.
Je ferme la porte pour ne pas laisser sortir le chat. These avoid pour que and thus avoid the subjunctive.

How does the negation ne … pas work here?

It wraps around the conjugated verb of the subordinate clause:

ne before the verb and pas after: ne sorte pas. Don’t place pas before the verb or after the clause. In casual speech, people often drop ne (see next Q), but in writing keep both parts.

Is ne optional in everyday speech?

In informal spoken French, ne is often dropped: … pour que le chat sorte pas. In standard writing and formal speech, keep ne: … pour que le chat ne sorte pas.

What tense is ferme, and can I use other tenses?

Je ferme is present indicative. You can use other tenses in the main clause without changing the subjunctive in the purpose clause:

Past: J’ai fermé la porte pour que le chat ne sorte pas.
Future: Je fermerai la porte pour que le chat ne sorte pas. The subordinate clause still uses present subjunctive (sorte).

Does fermer mean “to lock”?

Fermer means “to close.” To say “lock,” use:

fermer à clé or verrouiller: Je verrouille la porte pour que… / Je ferme la porte à clé pour que…

Can I put the purpose clause at the beginning?

Yes: Pour que le chat ne sorte pas, je ferme la porte. When the subordinate clause comes first, use a comma.

How do I replace la porte or le chat with pronouns?

Replace la porte: Je la ferme pour que le chat ne sorte pas.
Replace le chat: Je ferme la porte pour qu’il ne sorte pas. Both pronouns go before the verb they belong to.

Why la porte but le chat? What if the cat is female?

porte is feminine, hence la porte.
chat is masculine; a female cat is la chatte. In everyday speech many people still say mon chat even for a female cat, but ma chatte is the standard literal feminine (note that chatte can carry slang meanings in some contexts).

Should I add dehors after sortir?

No. sortir already means “to go out,” so sortir dehors is redundant in standard French. You can say it colloquially, but better is just ne sorte pas or use a positive verb like reste à l’intérieur.

What’s the nuance between sortir, partir, and s’échapper?

sortir: to go out (of a room/house), neutral about intention.
partir: to leave/depart (often for a journey or for good).
s’échapper / s’enfuir: to escape/run away (suggests fleeing).
Here, sortir is the natural choice.

What are the subjunctive forms of sortir, and can you hear the difference?

Present subjunctive:

que je sorte, que tu sortes, qu’il/elle/on sorte, que nous sortions, que vous sortiez, qu’ils/elles sortent. In speech, singular and 3rd plural sound like [sɔʁt], so the subjunctive often sounds identical to the indicative; context (like pour que) tells you it’s subjunctive.

Any quick pronunciation tips for the whole sentence?

Je ferme ≈ [ʒə fɛʁm] (the e in je can reduce; before a vowel it becomes j’).
la porte ≈ [la pɔʁt].
pour que le ≈ [puʁ kə lə] (the e in que is very light).
chat ≈ [ʃa].
ne sorte pas ≈ [nə sɔʁt pɑ]; in casual speech you may hear [sɔʁt pɑ] (dropping ne).
No liaison is required between porte and pour.

Are there synonyms for pour que?

afin que: a bit more formal but equivalent: J’ai fermé la porte afin que le chat ne sorte pas.
de sorte que: can mean purpose (subjunctive) or result (indicative). Purpose: … de sorte que le chat ne sorte pas. Result: … de sorte que le chat ne sort pas (less common in speech).
Advanced: fear/avoidance expressions like de peur que / de crainte que / éviter que often take an “expletive” ne without pas: Je ferme la porte de peur que le chat ne sorte (this ne is not negative). Keep this for later study.

If I say it in the past with a pronoun, does the past participle agree?

Yes, with avoir the past participle agrees with a preceding direct object pronoun:

Je l’ai fermée pour que le chat ne sorte pas.
Here l’ = la porte (feminine), so fermée takes -e.
But: J’ai fermé la porte… (no agreement because the object comes after the verb).