A clause in two words
The proposition participiale is a full subordinate clause with no conjunction and no conjugated verb. What is left is its own subject and a participle.
The own subject is the defining feature: it differs from the subject of the main clause. In Le repas terminé, nous sommes sortis, terminé belongs to le repas, not to nous. A comma separates the participial clause from the main clause.
English has the same pattern, called the absolute construction: The meal over, we went out. In everyday English you would more likely say with the meal over or use a when clause; in French the bare noun plus participle is the normal written form, and French does not add avec.
What the participial clause expresses
The context tells you how it relates to the main clause. In English you would resolve it with a conjunction.
Time (when, once)
Le repas terminé, nous sommes passés au salon.
The meal over, we moved to the living room.
La nuit tombée, le village retrouve son calme.
Once night has fallen, the village grows quiet again.
Reason (as, since)
Le train étant en retard, nous avons manqué la correspondance.
As the train was late, we missed our connection.
La loi ayant été votée, les entreprises doivent s'adapter.
The law having been passed, companies have to adapt.
Condition (if)
Le temps le permettant, nous déjeunerons dans le jardin.
Weather permitting, we'll have lunch in the garden.
The participle forms
Form, build and example
| Form | Build | Example |
|---|---|---|
| participe passé (earlier) | participle, agreeing | La réunion terminée, … |
| participe présent (same time) | stem + -ant, invariable | Le vent soufflant fort, … |
| participe composé (earlier) | étant / ayant + participe passé; passive: ayant été + participe passé | Tous les invités étant arrivés, … / La loi ayant été votée, … |
Fixed expressions
Une fois before the participial clause makes the time reading unmistakable. Étant donné and vu are fixed expressions meaning given; they stay invariable before the noun.
Une fois le contrat signé, tout est allé très vite.
Once the contract was signed, everything went very fast.
Étant donné son expérience, il a obtenu le poste.
Given his experience, he got the job.
Vu les prix, nous avons renoncé au voyage.
Given the prices, we gave up on the trip.
Own subject or not?
The question that always helps: who does the participle belong to? If the construction has its own subject, it is a participial clause. If the participle belongs to the subject of the main clause, or if en + -ant is used, the subject does not change.
Le film terminé, nous sommes rentrés.
The film over, we went home.
own subject (le film ≠ nous)
Ayant terminé son travail, elle est rentrée.
Having finished her work, she went home.
same subject (elle = elle)
Elle est rentrée en chantant.
She went home singing.
same subject (elle = elle)
Written French and translation
The participial clause belongs to written French: newspapers, reports, official texts, novels. In conversation it sounds stilted and people use an ordinary subordinate clause. You need to recognise it; using it yourself pays off mainly in written work.
Comme il pleuvait, on a annulé le pique-nique.
As it was raining, we cancelled the picnic.
spoken
La pluie ne cessant pas, le pique-nique a été annulé.
The rain not letting up, the picnic was cancelled.
written
Translate by meaning, not word for word: with once, when, as, since, or with a preposition such as after the meal.
