The Present Subjunctive in French
Le subjonctif présent
The present subjunctive is used to express doubt, emotion, necessity, and subjective judgment rather than stating objective facts.
- Emotion or feeling
- Doubt or uncertainty
- Desire or wish
- Necessity or obligation
- Judgment or opinion (when negative or uncertain)
When to Use the Present Subjunctive
| Trigger Type | French Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Emotion | Je suis content que tu viennes. | I am happy that you are coming. |
| Doubt | Je doute qu’il comprenne. | I doubt that he understands. |
| Will | Je veux que tu réussisses. | I want you to succeed. |
| Necessity | Il faut que nous partions. | We must leave. |
| Opinion (negative) | Je ne pense pas qu’elle ait raison. | I don’t think she is right. |
| Subject | Ending |
|---|---|
| je | -e |
| tu | -es |
| il / elle / on | -e |
| nous | -ions |
| vous | -iez |
| ils / elles | -ent |
Special Cases
- The subjunctive is not used after expressions of certainty
- The subjunctive is not used when the subject is the same in both clauses
- After après que, the indicative is used (modern French)
Common Subjunctive Triggers
The subjunctive is usually introduced by que after certain verbs or expressions.
Core Idea of the Subjunctive
The subjunctive is required when the speaker expresses:
Negation with the Subjunctive
Negation is placed around the conjugated verb in the subjunctive clause.
Common Mistakes
- Using the indicative instead of the subjunctive
- Forgetting que before the subjunctive clause
- Using subjunctive after expressions of certainty
- Mixing subjunctive and infinitive structures
- Take the ils/elles form of the present tense
- Remove -ent
- Add subjunctive endings
How to Form the Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive is formed using the third-person plural (ils/elles) form of the present tense.
Irregular Subjunctive Forms
Some common verbs have irregular subjunctive forms that must be memorized.
| Verb | Subjunctive Form |
|---|---|
| être | que je sois |
| avoir | que j’aie |
| aller | que j’aille |
| faire | que je fasse |
| pouvoir | que je puisse |
| vouloir | que je veuille |
| savoir | que je sache |
What Is the Present Subjunctive?
The present subjunctive (le subjonctif présent) is a mood, not a tense. It is used after certain verbs and expressions to express feelings, uncertainty, desire, obligation, or opinion.
Example Sentences
Il faut que tu sois prêt.You must be ready.
Je veux que nous partions tôt.I want us to leave early.
Elle a peur qu’il fasse froid.She is afraid that it will be cold.
Je ne crois pas qu’ils aient compris.I don’t think they understood.
Bien qu’il soit tard, nous restons.Although it is late, we are staying.
- Je ne pense pas qu’il vienne.
- Il faut que tu ne fasses pas ça.
- Elle est triste que nous ne soyons pas là.
Formation Examples
- parler → ils parlent → que je parle
- finir → ils finissent → que tu finisses
- prendre → ils prennent → qu’il prenne
- Will: vouloir que, aimer que, préférer que
- Doubt: douter que, ne pas croire que, ne pas penser que
- Emotion: être content que, avoir peur que, être triste que, être surpris que
- Necessity: il faut que, il est nécessaire que, il est important que