Mastering “La Concordance des Temps” in French – A Clear Guide for Hindi Speakers (B1 Level)
Mastering “La Concordance des Temps” in French – A Clear Guide for Hindi Speakers (B1 Level)
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Table of contents
Introduction: What is “La Concordance des Temps”?
“La concordance des temps” refers to tense agreement in French. It is the grammatical rule that ensures the verb tenses used in related clauses are logically and temporally aligned. For B1 learners, mastering this concept is crucial for writing and speaking correctly, especially in complex sentences.
If you’re a Hindi speaker, this may remind you of how verb forms change depending on whether you’re talking about the present, past (habitual, completed), or future events. In French, the same idea applies, but with more formal structure.
Let’s break it down step-by-step and compare it to Hindi grammar so that you truly understand how it works.
1. Why Does “La Concordance des Temps” Matter?
French uses specific rules to match tenses between the main clause and the dependent clause. These rules depend on:
- The tense of the main verb.
- The type of action in the subordinate clause (simultaneous, earlier, or later than the main clause).
For example, if the main clause is in the past, the verb in the subordinate clause often changes to reflect that past time.
2. The Three Time Relationships in Subordinate Clauses
To apply tense agreement correctly, understand these relationships:
| Type of Action | In Hindi | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Simultaneous | Ek saath hone wala kaam | Happens at the same time as the main action |
| Earlier | Pahle ho chuka kaam | Happened before the main action |
| Later | Baad me hone wala kaam | Will happen after the main action |
3. Present Main Clause: Which Tenses to Use?
When the main clause is in the present, the subordinate clause can be in:
| Subordinate Action | Tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simultaneous | Présent | Je pense qu’il est gentil. |
| Earlier | Passé composé | Je crois qu’il a réussi. |
| Later | Futur simple | Je sais qu’il viendra. |
Example 1: Simultaneous Action
French: Je pense qu’il est intelligent.
English (word by word): I think that he is intelligent.
Hindi pronunciation: Jeh paans keel eh eh-tel-ee-jã
Hindi meaning: Main sochta hoon ki woh samajhdaar hai.
Example 2: Earlier Action
French: Je crois qu’il a terminé son travail.
English: I believe that he has finished his work.
Hinglish: Je kroa keel aa ter-mee-nay sohn tra-vaay
Hindi meaning: Main maanta hoon ki usne apna kaam khatam kar liya hai.
Example 3: Future Action
French: Je sais qu’elle viendra demain.
English: I know that she will come tomorrow.
Hinglish: Je seh kel vyã-dra duh-mã
Hindi meaning: Main jaanta hoon ki woh kal aayegi.
4. Past Main Clause: Which Tenses to Use?
When the main clause is in the past (like imparfait or passé composé), we switch to past forms in the subordinate clause.
| Subordinate Action | Tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simultaneous | Imparfait | Il pensait qu’elle était malade. |
| Earlier | Plus-que-parfait | Il croyait qu’elle avait déjà mangé. |
| Later | Conditionnel présent | Il a dit qu’il viendrait. |
Example 4: Simultaneous (Imparfait)
French: Il pensait qu’elle était malade.
English: He thought that she was sick.
Hinglish: Eel pã-se kel eh-teh mah-lahd
Hindi meaning: Woh sochta tha ki woh bimar thi.
Example 5: Earlier (Plus-que-parfait)
French: Il croyait qu’elle avait déjà mangé.
English: He believed that she had already eaten.
Hinglish: Eel kroa-yay kel ah-vay day-jah mã-jay
Hindi meaning: Woh maanta tha ki usne pehle hi khana kha liya tha.
Example 6: Future in the Past (Conditionnel)
French: Il a dit qu’il viendrait demain.
English: He said that he would come tomorrow.
Hinglish: Eel ah dee keel vyã-dray duh-mã
Hindi meaning: Usne kaha ki woh kal aayega.
It refers to the rules for matching verb tenses between the main clause and subordinate clause based on the sequence of time.
It helps maintain clarity and logical flow when expressing complex ideas or narrating events.
Just like in Hindi, French changes verb forms based on when an action occurs—before, during, or after another action.
5. Special Notes for Hindi Speakers
| French Grammar | Hindi Equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Imparfait | Aadaton ka past (jaise “woh roj jaata tha”) | Use for habits, background |
| Passé composé | Pura hua kaam (“usne kiya”) | Completed past actions |
| Plus-que-parfait | Past se bhi pehle wala (“usne pehle hi kiya tha”) | Rare in Hindi but important in storytelling |
| Conditionnel | “Woh aata” ya “woh karega” (shart ya bhavishya in past) | Used for imagined or reported future in the past |
6. Quick Summary Chart
| Main Clause Tense | Subordinate: Simultaneous | Subordinate: Earlier | Subordinate: Later |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | Présent | Passé composé | Futur simple |
| Past (Imparfait) | Imparfait | Plus-que-parfait | Conditionnel |
7. Tips to Master “La Concordance des Temps”
- Always identify the time of the main verb first.
- Think logically: Is the second action before, at the same time, or after the main one?
- Practice with storytelling: Narrate events using these structures.
- Compare with Hindi past forms: This helps a lot in understanding the flow.
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