# FR: It is the least I could have done.



## bilko

Can anyone explain please how the apparent conflict between the need to use the subjunctive and conditional tense is resolved in the above sentence ?? I believe that the best avoidance technique is to translate as
"C'est le moindre de choses."


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## istflo

I will say "c'est le moins que je puisse faire" or "c'est la moindre des choses". Both are used.


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## bilko

Thank you Istflo - but how does one cope with the conditional tense aspect ?


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## kabing

As I understand it, the conditional isn't a tense, but a mood (like the indicative and the subjunctive).

If you are asking why the subjunctive is used in French (if one opts for "c'est le moins que je puisse faire.") while the conditional is used in the English phrase, I think it is because the two languages handle use the subjunctive (and the conditional) moods differently.

There is a subjunctive mood in English (e.g. "I wish I were a butterfly" instead of "I wish I was a butterfly."), but it is used very rarely.  Many English speakers (at least in the US) don't even know the subjunctive exists.  

In French, however, the subjunctive mood is used much more frequently.  Many times the subjunctive is used in French where English speakers would use the indicative, but sometimes English requires the conditional mood where French requires the subjunctive.  And, of course, generally speaking, when the conditional mood is used in French, the conditional mood is used in the parallel English phrase.

I don't know if there is a rule know when an English conditional verb needs to be translated as a subjunctive in French.  My guess is one just needs to understand how the subjunctive works in French to figure it out.


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## bilko

Thank you Kabing. My point really is that the presence of a superlative in the sentence demands the use of the subjunctive in French. This, however,
means that the time of the action (either past..could have done, or future - will do,, or might do)can not be indicated. It seems therefore that this element of the sentence must be lost (at least in the examples so far offered) to the overriding use of the subjunctive.


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## Thomas1

Couldn't we translate that by:
_C'est le moindre que j'aie pu faire_. by any chance?

Since how would you translate:
_It's is the least I can do._? 
I believe it would be:
_C'est le moindre que je puisse faire._, wouldn't it?


Tom


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## bilko

Tom
Hello ! I think that "que j'ai pu faire" would not work in the context of this question, principally because it does not use the subjunctive, required by the presence of "the least". This is my problem ... because the English sentence would seem to imply the conditional tense (j'aurais ). The use of the subjunctive would seem, from replies already posted, not to allow a 
construction which combines conditional and subjunctive.
I think your second suggestion is o.k. - but only for the present subjunctive - I think am trying to express a conditional subjunctive which, apparently does not exist.  How then can one differentiate between "the least I could have done" and "the least I shall be able to do" if the received translation for both is "la moindre de(s) choses" ?? Unless there is an alternative explanation I shall use "c'est (c'était) la moindre des choses"     Kindest regards     Bilko


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## Elmarit

bilko said:


> Can anyone explain please how the apparent conflict between the need to use the subjunctive and conditional tense is resolved in the above sentence ?? I believe that the best avoidance technique is to translate as
> "C'est le moindre de choses."



What's the context?

If you want to use _It is the least I could have done_ as an expression of politeness, then you can say "C'est la moindre des choses" or "C'est le moins que je puisse faire".

But if you want to express, say, an amount of work; you can say "C'est tout ce que j'ai pu faire".


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## enJoanet

Bonjour tout le monde!

Pour ma part, je dirais: 
C'est (ou c'était) la moindre des choses que je *pouvais* faire.

Pour rappel, indicatif et subjonctif se distingue par leur manière d'exprimer la réalisation d'une action...Avec l'indicatif, l'on est presque certain que l'action se réalisera alors que le subjonctif sert à marquer l'incertitude
Or, si une action est déjà passée il n'y aucune raison pour nous d'utiliser le subjonctif...
Exemple: 

-Je suir certain qu'il viendra. (ici, l'on préfère l'indicatif car l'on a à faire à un sentiment de certitude)
-Je doute qu'il vienne. (par contre, ici, l'expression du doute requiert le subjonctif)

D'autre part, le subjonctif s'emploi aussi avec tout un ensemble de formules (il faut que je fasse, il arrive que ce soit triste, etc.) ainsi qu'avec des verbes qui traduisent  la volonté...ex. _Je veux que tu fasses._

a+
Joan


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## Thomas1

bilko said:


> Tom
> Hello ! I think that "que j'ai pu faire" would not work in the context of this question, principally because it does not use the subjunctive, required by the presence of "the least". This is my problem ... because the English sentence would seem to imply the conditional tense (j'aurais ). The use of the subjunctive would seem, from replies already posted, not to allow a
> construction which combines conditional and subjunctive.


Hello Bilko. 

It was a typo, sorry about that, I'm going to correct it (I meant "aie").



> I think your second suggestion is o.k. - but only for the present subjunctive - I think am trying to express a conditional subjunctive which, apparently does not exist. How then can one differentiate between "the least I could have done" and "the least I shall be able to do" if the received translation for both is "la moindre de(s) choses" ?? Unless there is an alternative explanation I shall use "c'est (c'était) la moindre des choses" Kindest regards Bilko


Unfortunately, I'm not clear about what you wrote here. The examples you gave are pretty much different, one pertains to the past and the other to the future, please tell me where am I wrong?

Tom


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## bilko

Tom
It seems to me that "c'est la moindre des choses" could mean any of the following: 
1. It is the least I shall be able to do
2. It is the least I was able to do
3. It was the least I could have done

As I understand it, the presence of a superlative in the sentence (least, best, most, worst etc.) requires the use of the subjunctive, which appears to exclude the use of any other tense. The suggested French translation avoids the problem by using a construction employing the present tense only. So... it appears not possible to indicate precisely which of the 3 English sentences above is intended. Kindest regards.....Bilko


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## bilko

En  Joanet
J'ai l'impression que si une phrase contient un superlatif (la moindre,le premier , le meilleur, le pire, le derniére ETC.) il doit étre suivi par le subjonctif, du moins, selon ma livre de grammaire francaise. Tu n'en as pas fait mention - est-ce que j'ai tort ??
Tu dis que pour une action dans le passé le subjonctif n'est pas requit: que penses-tu alors de "Si elle me l'eùt dit, j'eusse compris" - moins formellement dit " si elle me l'avait dit, j'aurais compris". 
Amicalement...Bilko


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## pieanne

bilko said:


> Tom
> It seems to me that "c'est la moindre des choses" could mean any of the following:
> 1. It is the least I shall be able to do
> 2. It is the least I was able to do
> 3. It was the least I could have done


 
Could you please put these examples into context?

Here's my view on "la moindre des choses" (don't forget "est" can be conjugated)

Yesterday, John went to Jane's birthday party. He drunk too much and vomited all over the Persian rug before passing out.

1. It's early morning. John's recovering and realizes what he's done:
"Oh, p...! qu'est-ce qui m'a pris? Je vais lui envoyer des fleurs, ce sera la moindre des choses!"

2. Now John's recovered and is having a conversation with Bill
 "Oh la la! Hier j'ai fait un scandale chez Jane... Je lui ai fait envoyer 2 douzaines de roses, c'est la moindre des choses..."

3. Now Bill's recounting that conversation to another friend of his:
"John s'est couvert de honte à l'anniversaire de Jane. Enfin, il lui a envoyé des fleurs, c'était la moindre des choses"

In the event John hasn't reacted at all and is hiding under his sheets, Bill could tell him (if he were with him [eek])
"John! Tu pourrais au moins lui envoyer des fleurs! Ce serait la moindre des choses!"

And here comes John's mother:
"John! Tu te lèves et tu vas chez le fleuriste! Tu lui envoies des fleurs! - ce sera la moindre des choses"


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## Thomas1

bilko said:


> Thank you Kabing. My point really is that the presence of a superlative in the sentence demands the use of the subjunctive in French. This, however,
> means that the time of the action (either past..could have done, or future - will do,, or might do)can not be indicated. It seems therefore that this element of the sentence must be lost (at least in the examples so far offered) to the overriding use of the subjunctive.


Sorry if I got it wrong but I reread the discussion and I think that Bilko is attemting to grasp the hang of the usage of the subjunctive after a clause with the superlative (as he/she seems to be implying in he above post).

If that's the case then yes, most often one uses the subjunctive in relative clauses after the matrix clause with the superlative:


> Les relatives dépendant d’un superlatif (_le plus…, le moins…_) sont le plus souvent au subjonctif.
> _C’est le plus grand spécialiste que je connaisse._
> _Il nous a fait goûter le meilleur vin qu’il ait dans sa cave._


 

Now, I am wondering if translating 
_It's the least I could have done_
according to the above we could say something like:
_c'est la moindre des choses que j'aie pu fait???_
or as someone suggested in one of the previous posts:
Or it's is completely out of the question?

As Joane suggests it should be:
_C'est (ou c'était) la moindre des choses que je *pouvais* faire._

But, later on in her posts she also mentions the "constant" constructins used with the subjunctive. Thus, are the superlative sentences always to be used with the subjunctive or can one actually use more moods with them? If so when the subjunctive and when the rest?
I am asking since I don't quite grasp the basic difference between the usage of the subjunctive in 
_Il nous a fait goûter le meilleur vin qu’il ait dans sa cave._
and the indicative in the sentence given by Joane? Could someone enlighten me please?



Tom


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## bilko

Pieanne
I think that your examples have made me realize that "c'est la moindre des choses" is not a fixed french idiom - the ability to conjugate "est" in other tenses totally changes the picture !! Pendant qu'on y est.....This particular sentence "c'est la moindre des choses" may cover the particular English sentence in this case - but what is the position in other cases where one wishes to combine an "obligatory" subjunctive with a conditional sense. e.g. "It was the worst thing he could/should/have done"
Are these cases covered by special idioms or does one use,for example,
the pluperfect subjunctive.."c'était la pire chose qu'il eusse pu faire"
Also can you please explain why it should be "la moindre des choses" rather than "de choses" when I would have thought this to have been a descriptive noun construction similar to "sortie de camions" ?
You must have more exotic things to do on a Saturday evening !...Regards
Bilko


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