Même avant que + subjunctive
Once we’ve reached a certain level of French, say B1 level, i.e. intermediate or the first year of A level, and started to read more ‘grown up’ French texts - for example news articles, we continue to notice - and hopefully question! - the more complex forms of grammar we encounter. A typical example could be même avant que, and what then follows this construction.
Whereas the subjunctive mood in English (example – ‘If I were a rich man’) has all but disappeared over the years, the subjunctive is still present in French, and many constructions require its use, même avant que being one of them. In the present subjunctive, there’s the following example:
Je devine tout ce que tu vas me dire même avant que tu n'ouvres la bouche.
I'm guessing everything you're going tell me even before you open your mouth.
One source says that the use of ne after avant que is optional, e.g.
Je le verrai avant qu’il (ne) parte - I’ll see him before he leaves.
What are your views on the use of ne in this situation?
Moving to the pluperfect subjunctive:
J'aurais pu deviner vos intentions même avant que vous ne me les eussiez dévoilées.
I could have guessed your intentions even before you had told me.
And finally the perfect subjunctive, which is regarded as more common:
J'aurais pu deviner vos intentions même avant que vous ne me les ayez dévoilées.
I could have guessed your intentions even before you told me.
Any comments or questions, please get in touch!
Sources
A Comprehensive French Grammar, Glanville Price