Il pleut, donc nous restons à la maison.
English: It is raining, so we are staying at home.
- Language
- French
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Expressions de modalité et de logique
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
The 'expression de la conséquence' in French is how you show the result or consequence of an action or situation. It answers the question: 'What happens as a result?'
When to use it
Use these forms when you want to explain what happens because of something. For example, to say why something happened, or to show the effect of an action or situation.
Key forms
- donc
- alors
- c’est pourquoi
- par conséquent
- si bien que + indicatif
- tellement/tant... que + indicatif
Examples
Elle a beaucoup travaillé, alors elle est fatiguée.
English: She worked a lot, so she is tired.
Il a oublié son parapluie, c’est pourquoi il est mouillé.
English: He forgot his umbrella, that's why he is wet.
Il faisait froid, par conséquent nous avons mis des manteaux.
English: It was cold, therefore we put on coats.
Il a tellement ri qu’il a pleuré.
English: He laughed so much that he cried.
Tips
- Remember that 'donc' and 'alors' are very common in spoken French.
- After 'si bien que', 'tellement que', and 'tant que', use the indicative mood.
- Do not confuse 'parce que' (because) with these forms; 'parce que' explains the cause, not the consequence.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Sometimes in spoken French, 'du coup' is used informally to express consequence.