It is worth noting that après que (after...) is followed by tenses in the Mode indicatif and NOT in Mode subjonctif!
The reason is very simple: après que introduces an action that happened for certain and therefore requires the Mode indicatif. The Mode subjonctif, on the other hand, is the mood of doubt and uncertainty.
(1)
Après que vous avez visité la ville, vous êtes allés boire un verre.
After you visited the city, you went and had a drink.
Après que j'ai vu ce film, j'étais bouleversé.
After I saw that film, I was overwhelmed.
Il a laissé sa voiture au garage après qu'elle était allée à la banque.
He dropped her car off at the garage after she had gone to the bank.
(2)
Après qu’ils sont arrivés, ils vont saluer ma mère.
After they've arrived, they go and say hello to my mother.
Tout le monde part après qu'elle sonne la cloche.
Everyone leaves after she rings the bell.
For other cases, see Quand, lorsque, après que, une fois que + Le Futur Antérieur = 'when, after I've done in the future
Note that many French people make the mistake of using Le Subjonctif instead of L'Indicatif after après que!
Note that avant que (i.e. before...) IS followed by Le Subjonctif because of the uncertainty of this action.
See Avant que + ne explétif + Le Subjonctif = Before I do
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Après que vous avez visité la ville, vous êtes allés boire un verre.
After you visited the city, you went and had a drink.
Je me lave après que tu te lèves.
I wash after you get up.
Il a laissé sa voiture au garage après qu'elle était allée à la banque.
He dropped her car off at the garage after she had gone to the bank.
Nous avons rattrapé notre travail après que nous avons été absents.
We caught up on our work after we were absent.
Après qu’ils sont arrivés, ils vont saluer ma mère.
After they've arrived, they go and say hello to my mother.
Après que j'ai vu ce film, j'étais bouleversé.
After I saw that film, I was overwhelmed.
Tout le monde part après qu'elle sonne la cloche.
Everyone leaves after she rings the bell.
Q&A
Chris
Kwiziq community member
28/02/18
See my response to your previous post. -- Chris.
Chris
Kwiziq community member
28/02/18
The rule is that you need que if what follows is a complete subordinate clause with its own subject and verb. Otherwise you omit que.
Je vais ranger ma chambre après avoir fait mes devoirs. -- I will tidy my room after having done my homework.
Je vais ranger ma chambre après que j'aurai fait mes devoirs. -- I will tidy my room after I will have made my homework.
In the first case you don't have a clause following après, just an infitif passé (avoir fait), hence no que. The second example sports a complete subordinate clause and therefore requires que.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
William
Kwiziq community member
7 August 2017
1 reply
Après que + l'indicatif
Just a thought. After “ Après que“, you use an indicative tense. Since the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person singular for “réussir“ is the same for both the present tense and the simple past tense. These two tenses are both indicative tenses, one present tense and the other past tense. Could “J'étais soulagée après que tu réussis ton exam“ also be considered a correct answer in this example?
Ron
Kwiziq community member
9/08/17
Here is a simple translation of the phrase in question: I was relieved after you pass your test. As can be seen in the translation, the sense of the phrase has changed completely.
Alors, en ce qui concerne la verbe réussir la conjugaison est comme ce qui suit:
je réussis
tu réussis
il réussit
Parce que ils ne sont pas la même, ce qui suit est plus exact:
J’ai été soulagé après que le succès que tu avais sur ton examen.
J'imagine que Aurèlie ou Laura aient une réponse qui serait différent.
J'espère que cela vous aidera.
Bonne chance !
Ron
Laura
Kwiziq language super star
14/05/17
J'étais bouleversé is not the plus-que-parfait of se bouleverser - there's no se (or rather me: je m'étais bouleversé).
Here, étais is the imperfect and bouleversé is an adjective.
Doraida
Kwiziq community member
14/05/17
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
8/02/17
No, here the difference is linked to how much time passed in-between the two actions, and both are correct both ways.
"Après qu'il est rentré chez lui, il s'est couché."
-> here we used Passé Composé in both clauses, so the two actions seem to have happened quite close to each other.
but "Après que son ami était parti, il s'est couché."
-> here the Plus-que-Parfait action *had* happened clearly before the second one did, emphasising the gap in-between.
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
Paul
Kwiziq community member
19 June 2018
1 reply
j'étais bouleversé
Hi, Is there a lesson on when to use a past participle as an adjective? Thanks.
Chris
Kwiziq community member
20 June 2018
20/06/18
Hi Paul,
I don't think there's a whole lot of difference between English and French on this point.
J'étais bouleversé. -- I was shaken. (shaken is the participle of to shake)
-- Chris (not a native speaker).