When something happens so that / in order that someone else does something

Stewart H.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

When something happens so that / in order that someone else does something

I've keyed the below sentence into google. 

As the subject is the 'same person' in both parts of the sentence, is the translation wrong? 

According to the lesson the subjunctive occurs when something happens so that someone else does something.

"I do it so that I look beautiful" ... "Je le fais pour que je sois belle." 

Asked 4 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

I've had much better results using deepl.com than Google translate. Deepl translates the sentence off the bat as -

Je le fais pour être belle.

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

There is no reason to use «pour que» here, and google is just using the rule that the subjunctive follows «pour que», which is its "go to" translation of 'so that' when entered on its own. «Je le fais pour être belle» or «Je le fais pour me rendre belle» are options. The latter interestingly is where google ends up if you back-translate a couple of times - even google drops the «pour que».

When something happens so that / in order that someone else does something

I've keyed the below sentence into google. 

As the subject is the 'same person' in both parts of the sentence, is the translation wrong? 

According to the lesson the subjunctive occurs when something happens so that someone else does something.

"I do it so that I look beautiful" ... "Je le fais pour que je sois belle." 

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Thinking...