Sequence of tenses in French : complete course

Understanding the Sequence of Tenses in French

The sequence of tenses (in French: la concordance des temps) is a grammar rule that governs which verb tense to use in a subordinate clause, depending on the tense used in the main clause.
In simple terms: when you change the tense of the main verb, the tense of the dependent verb must also change accordingly.
This rule applies especially in complex sentences with que (that), conditional structures, and reported speech.

Simple Examples to Get Started

• Present main clause: Je pense qu’il vient. → I think he is coming.
• Past main clause: Je pensais qu’il venait. → I thought he was coming.
• Future main clause: Je penserai qu’il viendra. → I will think he will come.

Notice how the verb in the subordinate clause shifts when the main verb changes tense. This is the sequence of tenses in action.

Key Elements of the Sequence of Tenses in French

The sequence of tenses in French depends on two main factors:

• The tense of the main clause (present, past, or future)
• The time relationship between the two actions (simultaneous, prior, or subsequent)

1. Main Clause in the Present or Future

When the main verb is in the present or future tense, the subordinate clause uses tenses that reflect the natural time relationship.

Time Relationship	Tense in Subordinate Clause	Example
Simultaneous	Present indicative	Je crois qu’il travaille. (I believe he is working.)
Prior action	Passé composé	Je crois qu’il a travaillé. (I believe he worked.)
Future action	Future simple	Je crois qu’il travaillera. (I believe he will work.)

2. Main Clause in the Past

When the main verb is in a past tense (passé composé, imparfait, plus-que-parfait), the subordinate clause must shift its tenses accordingly. This is often called backshifting.

Time Relationship	Tense in Subordinate Clause	Example
Simultaneous	Imparfait	Il a dit qu’il était fatigué. (He said he was tired.)
Prior action	Plus-que-parfait	Il a dit qu’il avait mangé. (He said he had eaten.)
Future action	Conditionnel présent	Il a dit qu’il partirait. (He said he would leave.)

3. The Sequence of Tenses with the Subjunctive

When the main clause expresses doubt, emotion, or desire, the subordinate clause often uses the subjunctive mood. The sequence of tenses also applies here.

• Present subjunctive after a present or future main verb:
  Je veux qu’il vienne. → I want him to come.
• Past subjunctive after a present main verb (prior action):
  Je suis content qu’il soit venu. → I am glad he came.
• Imperfect subjunctive after a past main verb (formal/literary French):
  Il fallait qu’elle partît. → It was necessary that she leave.

Note: In everyday spoken French, the imperfect subjunctive is almost never used. The present subjunctive replaces it.

Why the Sequence of Tenses in French Matters

Simply put: using the wrong tense makes your French sound unnatural or confusing. Here is why this rule is important:

• It helps you communicate time relationships clearly — listeners understand whether something happened before, at the same time, or after another event.
• It is essential for reported speech (indirect speech), which you use constantly in daily conversation: telling someone what another person said.
• It is required for formal writing, job applications, academic French, and professional communication.
• Getting it right shows a higher level of fluency and makes your French much more polished.

Comparison with Other Languages

How does the sequence of tenses compare between French, Spanish, and English?

Feature	French	Spanish	English
Has a formal sequence of tenses rule?	Yes – strictly applied in writing	Yes – concordancia de tiempos	Yes – backshifting in reported speech
Subjunctive required in subordinate clauses?	Yes, frequently	Yes, very frequently	Rarely (mostly in formal contexts)
Past main verb → subordinate verb shifts?	Yes (imparfait, conditionnel, plus-que-parfait)	Yes (imperfecto, condicional, pluscuamperfecto)	Yes (was, would, had + past participle)
Imperfect subjunctive in everyday speech?	No – very literary in French	Yes – still used in everyday Spanish	Not applicable
Example (He said he was tired)	Il a dit qu’il était fatigué.	Dijo que estaba cansado.	He said he was tired.

Key takeaway: French and Spanish behave very similarly, making it easier for Spanish speakers to learn French grammar. English speakers may find the subjunctive the most challenging part.

Complete Example

Let’s follow one sentence through different tenses to see the sequence of tenses in action:

Original statement (direct speech):
Marie says: “Je suis heureuse et je partirai demain.”
(I am happy and I will leave tomorrow.)

Reported in the present:
Marie dit qu’elle est heureuse et qu’elle partira demain.
(Marie says she is happy and will leave tomorrow.)

Reported in the past:
Marie a dit qu’elle était heureuse et qu’elle partirait le lendemain.
(Marie said she was happy and would leave the next day.)

With a subjunctive trigger in the present:
Je suis surpris que Marie soit heureuse.
(I am surprised that Marie is happy.)

With a subjunctive trigger in the past:
J’étais surpris que Marie soit heureuse. (spoken) / fût heureuse. (literary)
(I was surprised that Marie was happy.)

Key Takeaways

• The sequence of tenses is a rule that links the tense of the main clause to the tense of the subordinate clause.
• When the main verb is in the present or future, use natural tenses in the subordinate clause (present, passé composé, future).
• When the main verb is in a past tense, shift the subordinate verb: present → imparfait, future → conditionnel, passé composé → plus-que-parfait.
• The subjunctive has its own sequence: use present subjunctive after present main verbs, and past subjunctive for prior actions.
• In everyday spoken French, the imperfect subjunctive is avoided — the present subjunctive is used instead.
• This rule is essential for reported speech and formal writing in French.

Sources

• Grevisse, M. & Goosse, A. (2011). Le Bon Usage (15th ed.). De Boeck Supérieur.
  — The reference grammar of the French language, covering all aspects of concordance des temps in detail.
• Riegel, M., Pellat, J.-C., & Rioul, R. (2018). Grammaire méthodique du français (5th ed.). Presses Universitaires de France.
  — A comprehensive and well-structured French grammar used in universities worldwide.

Weinrich, H. (1964). Tempus: Besprochene und erzählte Welt. Kohlhammer.
— A foundational work on tense systems across languages, including French, widely cited in linguistics and pedagogy.