lorsquelles

Lorsquelles is the form most often written as l orsqu'elles, the contracted conjunction used in French to introduce a temporal subordinate clause with a feminine plural subject. It is the elided version of lorsque followed by elles, used before a word that begins with a vowel sound to avoid a hiatus.

Etymology and form: The term derives from the adverbial conjunction lorsque, meaning “at the time when,” combined with the subject pronoun elles (they, feminine). When the following word begins with a vowel, the sequence is contracted and written with an apostrophe: lorsqu'elles. Because the standard spelling requires the apostrophe, the unpunctuated form lorsquelles is typically considered a misspelling or typographical variant.

Usage and nuance: This construction is formal or literary and is preferred in more formal writing or careful narration. It conveys a precise temporal relation and often appears in subordinate clauses introduced by a feminine plural subject. Examples: Lorsqu’elles arrivent, nous commencerons la réunion (When they arrive, we will begin the meeting). Lorsqu’elles auront terminé, elles partiront (When they have finished, they will leave). In everyday speech, quand is more common, while lorsque/lorsqu’ are more common in formal contexts.

Spelling note: The correct standardized form before a vowel-starting subject is l orsqu’elles, written with an apostrophe after q. In most style guides, lorsque remains the base form for consonant-starting or general use, and lorsque or lorsqu’ can be chosen according to rhythm and register.