Le Subjonctif
- Designates a conjugated verb that reflects obligation, necessity, desire, wish, doubt, requirement, permission, regret, emotion, uncertainty, or prohibition, and are followed by que require the subjunctive.
aimer to love/like
attendre to wait for s'attendre à to expect craindre to fear défendre to forbid demander to ask |
douter to doubt
s'étonner to be surprised exiger to require interdire to forbid permettre to allow préférer to prefer |
refuser to refuse
regretter to regret souhaiter to wish tenir à to insist vouloir to want |
NOTE: Verbs such as s'attendre à and tenir à are followed by ce que after the preposition à.
Ex. Je m'attends à ce qu'ils fassent leurs devoirs.
I expect them to do their homework.
Ex. Je tiens à ce que vous veniez avec nous.
I insist that you come with us.
Ex. Je m'attends à ce qu'ils fassent leurs devoirs.
I expect them to do their homework.
Ex. Je tiens à ce que vous veniez avec nous.
I insist that you come with us.
FORMATION:
- take the third person plural of the present indicative of regular verbs, drop the -ent ending and replace it by the subjunctive endings
e, es, e, ions, iez, ent.
- take the third person plural of the present indicative of regular verbs, drop the -ent ending and replace it by the subjunctive endings
e, es, e, ions, iez, ent.
Ex. Il faut que Renée finisse ses devoirs.
It is necessary that Renée finish her homework. Ex. Il faut que nous regardions cette emission. It is necessary that we watch this program. Ex. Il faut que je réponde à cette lettre. It is necessary that I answer this letter. Ex. Il faut que Alex vende sa voiture. It is necessary that Alex sell his car. |
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Irregular Verbs with a regular subjunctive
dire, ouvrir, courir
Irregular Verbs with an Irregular Subjunctive
aller, vouloir, faire, pouvoir, savoir, avoir, être, pleuvoir, neiger, falloir
Subject
Je Tu Il/Elle Nous Vous Ils/Elles |
Aller
J'aille ailles aille allions alliez aillent |
Vouloir
veuille veuilles veuille voulions vouliez veuillent |
Faire
fasse fasses fasse fassions fassiez fassent |
Pouvoir
puisse puisses puisse puissions puissiez puissent |
Savoir
sache saches sache sachions sachiez sachent |
Avoir
J'aie aies ait ayons ayez aient |
Être
sois sois soit soyons soyez soient |
- Is the subjunctive always used with il faut que? No, Here are some other impersonal expressions that express necessity, obligation, possibility, impossibility, doubt, regret, and emotion, and therefore require the subjunctive:
il est important que
il est nécessaire que il est bon que il est douteux que il est utile que il est inutile que il est indispensable que il est possible que il est impossible que il est normal que il est regrettable que il est préférable que il est dommage que il est étonnant que il est triste que il vaut mieux que il est temps que |
it is important that
it is necessary that it is good that it is doubtful that it is useful that it is useless that it is indispensable that is is possible that it is impossible that it is normal that it is regrettable that it is preferable that it is a pitty that it is surprising that it is sad that it is better that it is time that |
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- Are all impersonal expressions followed by the subjunctive? No. When an impersonal expression reflects certainty or a polite way of expressing certainty, the indicative is used, except when the expressions are negative or interrogative.
Examples:
il est vrai que
il est certain que il est probable que il est évident que il est clair que il paraît que il me semble que |
it is true that
it is certain that it is probable that it is evident that it is clear that it appears that it seems to me that |
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NOTE: The affirmative form of the expression il est probable que requires the indicative, not the subjunctive.
When using il me semble que, the indicative is used.
When using il me semble que, the indicative is used.
Verbal Expressions that are followed by the Subjunctive:
être content
être heureux être fâché être désolé avoir peur avoir honte |
to be happy
to be happy to be angry to be sorry to be afraid to be ashamed |
être triste
être malheureux être furieux être surpris avoir envie c'est dommage |
to be sad
to be unhappy to be furious to be surprised to wish for it's too bad |
Ex. Je suis surpris qu'il soit absent. I am surprised that he is absent.
Ex. Elle est heureuse que tu viennes. She is happy that you are coming.
Ex. Elle est heureuse que tu viennes. She is happy that you are coming.
Penser, Croire, Espérer, Il est certain, Il est sûr, Il est évident, etc...
In the affirmative form - Indicative
In the interrogative and negative form - Subjunctive
In the interrogative and negative form - Subjunctive
Conjunctions that Require the Subjunctive
à condition que
à moins que afin que avant que bien que de crainte que de peur que |
provided that
unless in order that before although for fear that for fear that |
en attendant que
jusqu'à ce que malgré que pour que pourvu que*** quoique sans que |
until
until although so that provided that although without |
***Pourvu que at the beginning of a sentence means Let's hope that. However, in a subordinate clause, it means provided that.
Example:
Pourvu qu'il ne pleuve pas demain!
Let's hope it will not rain tomorrow!
Nous irons à la plage demain pourvu qu'il ne pleuve pas.
We will go to the beach tomorrow provided it doesn't rain.
Do all conjunctions followed by que require the subjunctive? No. After the following conjunctions, the indicative is used: après que, aussitôt que, dès que, pendant que, tandis que, parce que, puisque.
Example:
Pourvu qu'il ne pleuve pas demain!
Let's hope it will not rain tomorrow!
Nous irons à la plage demain pourvu qu'il ne pleuve pas.
We will go to the beach tomorrow provided it doesn't rain.
Do all conjunctions followed by que require the subjunctive? No. After the following conjunctions, the indicative is used: après que, aussitôt que, dès que, pendant que, tandis que, parce que, puisque.