It is worth noting that après que (after...) is followed by tenses in the Mode indicatif and NOT in Mode subjonctif!
The reason is very simple: après que introduces an action that definitely happened and therefore requires the Mode indicatif. The Mode subjonctif, on the other hand, is the mood of doubt and uncertainty.
Using "après que" + Mode indicatif in French
(1)
When the
main verb is in
Le Passé Composé (Indicatif),
après que is followed by
Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) (
after I did) or
Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) (after I had done) because it expresses a fact that happened BEFORE the moment it is being reported. The choice between the two tenses depends on
how far apart the two actions are;
Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) marks a longer gap.
Après que vous avez visité la ville, vous êtes allés boire un verre.After you visited the city, you went and had a drink.
Après que j'ai vu ce film, j'ai été bouleversé.After I saw that film, I was overwhelmed.
Il a laissé sa voiture au garage après qu'elle était allée à la banque.He dropped her car off at the garage after she had gone to the bank.
(2)
When the
main verb is in
Le Présent (Indicatif), après que is followed by
Le Présent (Indicatif) to express
a habit (
after they come, they [usually] do that) or by
Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) when the
action happens BEFORE the moment it is being reported (
He goes after I've done it).
Je fais le lit après que tu te lèves.I make the bed after you get up. -> The present tense in the
après que clause makes it clear that this is a general statement.
Je fais le lit après que tu t'es levé.I'm making the bed after you've got [US: gotten] up. -> This is a one time thing.
For other cases, see Quand/lorsque/après que/une fois que + future perfect (Le Futur Antérieur) = When/after I've done something in the future (Sequence of Tenses in French)
Note that many French people mistakenly use Le Subjonctif instead of L'Indicatif after après que!
Note that avant que (i.e. before...) is followed by Le Subjonctif because of the uncertainty of this action.
See Avant que + ne explétif + the subjunctive mood (Le Subjonctif) = Before I do in French
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