jusqu'à ce que + Subjunctive

Until with Jusqu'a Ce Que + Subjunctive

Level 4

Jusqu'à ce que means "until." It is a subordinating conjunction that always requires the subjunctive mood in the following verb.

How It Works

The phrase jusqu'à ce que is the standard way to set a temporal limit for an action.

1. The Subjunctive Requirement
The most important rule is that the verb following jusqu'à ce que must be in the subjunctive. This applies even if the event is certain to happen.
Example: Reste ici jusqu'à ce qu'il vienne. (Stay here until he comes.)

2. Subject Usage
In many French "que" constructions, if the subject of both clauses is the same, you are often required to use an infinitive (like avant de). However, jusqu'à ce que is flexible; while jusqu'à + infinitive exists, using jusqu'à ce que + subjunctive is perfectly acceptable and common even when the subjects are the same.

  • Different subjects: Je t'attendrai jusqu'à ce que tu finisses.
  • Same subject: Je marcherai jusqu'à ce que je sois fatigué.

3. The "Ne Explétif"
Unlike avant que or à moins que, the phrase jusqu'à ce que does not traditionally trigger the "ne explétif." Adding a "ne" here (e.g., jusqu'à ce qu'il ne vienne) is generally considered a grammatical error or a hypercorrection rather than a stylistic choice.

Examples (4)

  1. Je resterai avec toi jusqu'à ce que tu ailles mieux.

    I will stay with you until you feel better.

    Word by Word: I will stay with you until that you go better.

    The verb 'ailles' is the subjunctive of aller.

  2. Attends ici jusqu'à ce qu'il revienne.

    Wait here until he comes back.

    Word by Word: Wait here until that he returns.

    Even though the return is expected, the subjunctive 'revienne' is mandatory.

  3. Il a travaillé jusqu'à ce que la nuit soit tombée.

    He worked until night had fallen.

    Word by Word: He worked until that the night be fallen.

    This uses the past subjunctive to emphasize the completion of the endpoint.

  4. Nous continuerons jusqu'à ce que nous trouvions une solution.

    We will continue until we find a solution.

    Word by Word: We will continue until that we find a solution.

    Note that 'trouvions' is the subjunctive form, which happens to look like the imparfait for -er verbs.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the indicative mood instead of the subjunctive.

    Je t'attends jusqu'à ce qu'il finit.
    Je t'attends jusqu'à ce qu'il finisse.

    For many verbs, the indicative and subjunctive forms look identical. However, for verbs like finir, you must use the subjunctive form 'finisse' rather than the indicative 'finit'.

  • Using the indicative after 'jusqu'à ce que'.

    Il a plu jusqu'à ce que nous sommes partis.
    Il a plu jusqu'au moment où nous sommes partis.

    'Jusqu'à ce que' always takes the subjunctive, even for something that really happened ('jusqu'à ce que nous partions'). 'Jusqu'au moment où' takes the indicative, so it lets you keep 'nous sommes partis'.

  • Using the incorrect phrase 'jusqu'à temps que'.

    Attends jusqu'à temps qu'il vienne.
    Attends jusqu'à ce qu'il vienne.

    'Jusqu'à temps que' is common in everyday speech, especially in Canada, but standard French uses 'jusqu'à ce que'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

jusqu'à ce que + SubjunctiveLevel 4Until with Jusqu'a Ce Que + Subjunctive

Learn This First

To use 'jusqu'à ce que' correctly, a learner must first understand the concept of the subjunctive mood and be able to form both regular and common irregular verbs in the present subjunctive.

Words in This Pattern

jusqu'à ce que