Look at these sentences:
Elle a fermé la porte à clé de peur que le chien ne disparaisse.She locked the door for fear that the dog would disappear.
J'ai arrêté de la voir de peur que ma femme ne découvre tout.I stopped seeing her for fear that my wife would find out everything.
To express English's more formal expression for fear that / out of fear that + verb in the conditional (= for fear that you would do this) or may do/might do, you will have to use a slightly more complex structure in French:
You use de peur que + subject + ne explétif + the verb in Le Subjonctif Présent or Le Subjonctif Passé
Note that in speech, the ne explétif can be dropped.
Il viendra de peur que tu ne sois vexée.
Note that you can also use the expression de crainte que.
See What is the ne explétif and when to use it in French
as well as other similar expressions using subordinating conjunctions:
Sans que (+ ne explétif) + subjunctive (Le Subjonctif) = Without doing in French
À moins que + ne explétif + subjunctive (Le Subjonctif) = Unless you do in French
Avant que + ne explétif + subjunctive (Le Subjonctif) = Before I do in French
Want to make sure your French sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Braimap today »
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Je ne l'ai pas fait de crainte que vous ne soyez déçus.I didn't do it for fear that you would be disappointed.
Il ne t'a pas appelé de peur que tu ne lui raccroches au nez.He didn't call you for fear that you might hang up on him.
Il ne voulait pas te le dire de peur que tu n'aies raison.He didn't want to tell you for fear that you'd be right.
J'ai fait une liste de peur qu'il n'y ait un problème.I made a list for fear there would be a problem.
J'ai arrêté de la voir de peur que ma femme ne découvre tout.I stopped seeing her for fear that my wife would find out everything.
