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Ces trucs ont intérêt à être renversants, qu'on ait pas fait tout ça pour rien.

I’m not sure how to interpret the connection between « que » and « avoir intérêt à ». Is this a construction only allowed in casual speech? It seems as if this sentence is made up of:

Ces trucs ont intérêt à être renversants.

et : Il y a intérêt à ce qu'on ait pas fait tout ça pour rien.

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The first part implies uncertainty, which is why the subordinate clause uses the subjunctive.

The sentence can be translated as

These things had better be stunning, so that we would not have done all of this for nothing.

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  • So it must be close to, if not the same as: "Ces trucs ont intérêt à être renversants, afin qu'on ait pas fait tout ça pour rien".
    – Con-gras-tue-les-chiens
    Nov 23, 2016 at 6:03
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    @LUNA you are right that is exactly what it means, the 'afin' is just omitted in this particular construct
    – Nico Mezeret
    Nov 23, 2016 at 9:22
  • @NicoMezeret Hi. Does this specific use of "que" without "afin" come across as ambiguous? If so, is it better to get into the habit of saying "afin que" all the time?
    – Con-gras-tue-les-chiens
    Nov 23, 2016 at 12:10
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    I wouldn't say it is ambiguous at all, however it might be considered less formal. In spoken french this phrasing is often used, but in written use you're more likely to see 'afin que' or even 'de manière à ce que'
    – Nico Mezeret
    Nov 23, 2016 at 12:40
  • The use of the subjonctive is a wish. The last part constitutes a sentence on its own.
    – Stéphane Gimenez
    Nov 28, 2016 at 14:33
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It should actually be two sentences.

Ces trucs ont intérêt à être renversants ! Qu'on (n')ait pas fait tout ça pour rien !

The second sentence expresses a wish using “Que” in heading position and subjunctive mood and punctuated as an exclamation. Same construction as in “Qu'il ne pleuve pas !”

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