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Subordinate Conjunctions

Unlike coordinate conjunctions, subordinate conjunctions link clauses of unequal status but closely related.

Je veux bien vous parler un instant bien que je sois pressé.
(I will talk to you even though I am in a hurry.)

They can be grouped into several broad categories according to the relationship they create between the clauses they link together:

Relationship of time:

alors que (as/while), à mesure que (as), après que (after), aussitôt que (as soon as), avant que (before), cependant que (while), depuis que (since), dès que (as soon as), en attendant que/jusqu'à ce que (until), maintenant que (now that), pendant que (while), sitôt que (as soon as), tant que (so long as), etc.

See Adverbial Clauses of Time.

Relationship of restriction/exclusion: afin que (so that), attendu que (bearing in mind that), de manière que (so that), parce que (because), sans que (without), sauf que (except that), selon que (depending), vu que (in view of the fact that), tandis que (whereas), etc.

See Adverbial Clauses of Cause and Effect and Adverbial Clauses of Conditions.

Comparison:

ainsi que (as), autant que (so far as), comme si (as though), d'autant plus que (all the more so that), de même que (in the same way as), non moins que (no less than), etc.

See Comparative and Superlative Adverbs, Comparative and Superlative Adjectives, and Adverbial Clauses of Comparison.

Special remarks on the conjunction que:

Que is a conjunction in its own right; however, it is also used in familiar speech as the shortened version of other conjunctions: afin que (so that), avant que (before), de manière que (so that), etc.

Donne-moi la note que je te paie.
(Give me the bill so that I can pay you.)

Que is used almost systematically as an "alternative" to avoid the repetition of an already used subordinating conjunction. Compare:

Reste avec moi jusqu'a ce que le soleil se lève et que la pluie s'arrête.
and
Reste avec moi jusqu'à ce que le soleil se lève et jusqu'à ce que la pluie s'arrête.
(Stay with me until the sun rises and the rain stops.)

See Conjunctive Adverbs.

Use of the Subjunctive Form after Subjunctive Conjunctions

A large number of subordinating conjunctions require the verb following the subordinating conjunction to be in the subjunctive mood. These subordinating subjunctions can be classified as follows:

Conjunctions expressing time:

avant que, jusqu'à ce que (until); avant que (before)

Conjunctions expressing purpose:

afin que, pour que, de façon que (so that)

Conjunctions expressing condition:

à condition que, pourvu que (provided that); à moins que (unless)

Conjunctions expressing concession:

bien que, encore que, quoique (although)

Conjunctions expressing negation:

sans que (without)

Conjunctions expressing doubt, fear:

de crainte que, de peur que (for fear that)

Note: To avoid using the subjunctive form, which can be stylistically heavy, it is possible to replace a conjunction with a preposition with the same meaning and an infinitive phrase, when the subject in the main clause and in the subordinate clause is the same. If the subject is not the same, the subjunctive form must be used. A preposition containing de is often used.

Nous attendons le docteur afin que nous puissions le remercier.
Nous attendons le docteur afin de pouvoir le remercier.
(We are waiting for the doctor so that we can thank him, i.e., to thank him.)

Elle n'a rien mangé de peur de qu'elle grossisse.
Elle n'a rien mangé de peur de grossir.
(She did not eat for fear that she may get fat, i.e. of getting fat.)

Note: à moins que, avant que, de peur que, de crainte que are generally followed by ne before the verb in the positive sentence.

Partez à moins que je ne vous téléphone.
(Leave unless I phone you.)

See Verbs That Require Subjunctive and Subjunctive after Impersonal Expressions.