Les subtilités du subjonctif dans le discours soutenu
Advanced subjunctive triggers in formal French, plus the literary imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive.
The rule
In formal and literary French, the subjunctive appears in contexts beyond the basic triggers taught at intermediate levels — after superlatives expressing a subjective judgment (le meilleur livre que j'aie jamais lu), after certain restrictive expressions (le seul qui sache, rien qui vaille), and in concessive clauses with quoi que, où que, and qui que.
The imperfect subjunctive (subjonctif imparfait) and pluperfect subjunctive (subjonctif plus-que-parfait) survive today almost exclusively in highly formal writing and classic literature — modern spoken French has replaced them entirely with the present and past subjunctive.
Recognizing these forms (il fallût, qu'il eût été) is important for reading nineteenth-century literature, even though using them in speech today would sound archaic or affected.
Examples
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C'est le meilleur roman que j'aie jamais lu.It's the best novel I've ever read.
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Quoi qu'il arrive, nous serons prêts.Whatever happens, we'll be ready.
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Où que vous alliez, restez prudents.Wherever you go, stay careful.
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C'est le seul qui sache la vérité.He's the only one who knows the truth.
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Il fallait qu'elle partît sur-le-champ.She had to leave immediately.
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Je ne pense pas qu'il y ait de solution simple.I don't think there's a simple solution.
Common mistakes
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C'est le meilleur roman que j'ai jamais lu.C'est le meilleur roman que j'aie jamais lu.
Superlative expressions of subjective judgment ("le meilleur... que") trigger the subjunctive, even though it's easy to default to the indicative here.
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Quoi qu'il arriveraQuoi qu'il arrive.
"Quoi que" (whatever) always takes the subjunctive, not the future indicative.
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Il fallait qu'elle parte sur-le-champ. (in a highly literary register)Il fallait qu'elle partît sur-le-champ.
In highly literary registers, the imperfect subjunctive ("partît") replaces the present subjunctive ("parte") — though modern spoken French uses only the present form.
