What are conjunctions and connectives?
Conjunctives and connectives are linking words which are used all the time in language to join phrases and sentences together.
They are generally used at the beginning of or in the middle of a sentence. They can be little words which explain why something happens:
| French | English |
| car | because |
| parce que/parce qu鈥 | because |
| donc | therefore |
| puisque | since |
| comme | as/since |
| French | car |
|---|---|
| English | because |
| French | parce que/parce qu鈥 |
|---|---|
| English | because |
| French | donc |
|---|---|
| English | therefore |
| French | puisque |
|---|---|
| English | since |
| French | comme |
|---|---|
| English | as/since |
Examples:
- je n鈥檃ime pas les bonbons parce qu鈥檌ls sont mauvais pour la sant茅 - I don鈥檛 like sweets because they are bad for your health
- il ne peut pas venir puisqu鈥檌l est en vacances - he can鈥檛 come as/since he is on holiday
Or they can be words used to explain when something happens:
| French | English |
| lorsque/quand | when |
| ensuite/puis | then |
| apr猫s que | after |
| aussit么t que/d猫s que | as soon as |
| tandis que/pendant que | while/whilst |
| alors que | whereas |
| French | lorsque/quand |
|---|---|
| English | when |
| French | ensuite/puis |
|---|---|
| English | then |
| French | apr猫s que |
|---|---|
| English | after |
| French | aussit么t que/d猫s que |
|---|---|
| English | as soon as |
| French | tandis que/pendant que |
|---|---|
| English | while/whilst |
| French | alors que |
|---|---|
| English | whereas |
Examples:
- elle est arriv茅e d猫s qu鈥檌l est parti - she arrived as soon as he left
- il est revenu, puis elle est partie ! - he came back then she left!