French grammar
Au passé : il n'y avait personne qui sache, aucun cousin qui puisse (subjonctif présent); personne qui se soit couché tôt (subjonctif passé)
Talk about people or things that did not exist, or were not known yet, in the past.
From the scene Il n'avait personne qui sache… (There was nobody who knew how…)
In short
Nobody who…, in a past story: still the present subjunctive (il n'avait personne qui sache). Earlier still: subjonctif passé.
Your turn
Which one goes with wasn't there a single cousin who could help??
Options: il ne restait personne qui se soit couché tôt · il n'y avait aucun cousin qui puisse aider ? · il n'avait personne qui sache cueillir
Show answer
wasn't there a single cousin who could help? → il n'y avait aucun cousin qui puisse aider ?
How it works
You already know il n'y a personne qui + subjonctif. In a past story, French keeps the same present subjunctive: il n'avait personne qui sache cueillir.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Salut ! Mon oncle n'avait personne qui (blank) cueillir aujourd'hui.
Options: saura · saches · sache
Show answer
Salut ! Mon oncle n'avait personne qui sache cueillir aujourd'hui.
Hi! My uncle didn't have anyone who knew how to pick today.
Good to know
For something that happened earlier still, use the subjonctif passé: il ne restait personne qui se soit couché tôt.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Et il n'y avait aucun cousin qui (blank) donner un coup de main ?
Options: pourra · puisses · puisse
Show answer
Et il n'y avait aucun cousin qui puisse donner un coup de main ?
And wasn't there any cousin who could lend a hand?
he had nobody who knew how to pick il n'avait personne qui sache cueillir
wasn't there a single cousin who could help? il n'y avait aucun cousin qui puisse aider ?
Your turn
What goes with il n'y avait aucun cousin qui puisse aider ??
Options: there was nobody left who'd gone to bed early · wasn't there a single cousin who could help? · he had nobody who knew how to pick
Show answer
il n'y avait aucun cousin qui puisse aider ? → wasn't there a single cousin who could help?
there was nobody left who'd gone to bed early il ne restait personne qui se soit couché tôt
Nuria
Et il ne restait personne qui se soit couché tôt... à part toi.
And there was nobody left who had gone to bed early... except you.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Et (blank)... à part toi.
Options: il n'y avait aucun cousin qui puisse aider · il ne restait personne qui se soit couché tôt · il n'avait personne qui sache cueillir
Show answer
Nuria
Et il ne restait personne qui se soit couché tôt... à part toi.
And there was nobody left who had gone to bed early... except you.
he'd never had anyone who picked so slowly il n'avait jamais eu personne qui cueille aussi lentement
Your turn
What goes with il n'avait jamais eu personne qui cueille aussi lentement?
Options: he had nobody who knew how to pick · wasn't there a single cousin who could help? · he'd never had anyone who picked so slowly
Show answer
il n'avait jamais eu personne qui cueille aussi lentement → he'd never had anyone who picked so slowly
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| he had nobody who knew how to pick | il n'avait personne qui sache cueillir |
|---|---|
| wasn't there a single cousin who could help? | il n'y avait aucun cousin qui puisse aider ? |
| there was nobody left who'd gone to bed early | il ne restait personne qui se soit couché tôt |
| he'd never had anyone who picked so slowly | il n'avait jamais eu personne qui cueille aussi lentement |
More lines from the story
- JaviSalut ! Mon oncle n'avait personne qui sache cueillir aujourd'hui.Hi! My uncle didn't have anyone who knew how to pick today.
- ElenaEt il n'y avait aucun cousin qui puisse donner un coup de main ?And wasn't there any cousin who could lend a hand?
- JaviEt en plus, mon oncle a dit qu'il n'avait jamais eu personne qui cueille aussi lentement.And what's more, my uncle said he had never had anyone who picked so slowly.
- JaviC'est la plantation de mon oncle, ça ne compte pas ! Bon... il me paie au kilo.It's my uncle's farm, it doesn't count! Well... he pays me by the kilo.
- JaviAndrés ? Il arrive « ahorita ». Les autres étaient tous à la fête d'hier soir.Andrés? He's coming "ahorita". The others were all at last night's party.