Subjunctive

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Subjonctif

The French subjunctive is a special verb form, called a mood, that is used in dependent clauses to indicate some sort of subjectivity, uncertainty, or unreality in the mind of the speaker. In French, feelings like doubt and desire require the subjunctive, as do expressions of necessity, possibility, and judgment. It can be helpful to consider them in themed groups:

1. Preferences, Advice, Needs, Desires, Orders
2. Judgments, Emotions, Feelings
3. Possibilities, Opinions, Doubts, Suppositions
4. Additional Subjunctive Triggers

 Note that there are two additional conditions to meet before using the French subjunctive:

1) Que or qui

The expression in the main clause must end with the relative pronoun que or qui. If it ends with the preposition de, you need to use the infinitive.

Par exemple…

Il est important que tu fasses tes devoirs.		It’s important for you to do your homework.
Il est important de faire tes devoirs.		It’s important to do your homework.
Il est important de fasses tes devoirs.

2) Two subjects

The subject of the main clause and that of the dependent clause must be different. If they’re the same, just use the infinitive.

Par exemple…

Je veux que tu ailles à la banque.		I want you to go to the bank.
Je veux aller à la banque.		I want to go to the bank.
Je veux que j’aille à la banque.

 À noter : There is no future subjunctive in French. Even for subjective situations that are clearly set in the future, the present subjunctive is used.

Il faut que tu prennes le bus demain.

You’ll have to take the bus tomorrow.

Subjunctive Triggers

There are hundreds of verbs, expressions, and conjunctions that call for the subjunctive, so it’s helpful to divide them into themes.

Preferences, Advice, Needs, Desires, Orders (PANDO)

aimer mieux que		to like better / to prefer that
commander que		to order that
défendre que		to forbid
demander que		to ask (someone to do something)
désirer que		to desire that
donner l’ordre que		to order that
empêcher que*		to prevent (someone from doing something)
éviter que*		to avoid
exiger que		to demand that
il est à souhaiter que		it is to be hoped that
il est capital que		it is crucial that
il est essentiel que		it is essential that
il est impératif que		it is imperative that
il est nécessaire que		it is necessary that
il est temps que		it is time that
il est urgent que		it is urgent that
il faut que		it is necessary that
interdire que		to forbid that
s’opposer que		to oppose that
ordonner que		to order that
permettre que		to permit that
préférer que		to prefer that
proposer que		to propose that
recommander que		to recommend
souhaiter que		to wish that
suggérer que		to suggest that
tenir à ce que		to insist that
vouloir que		to want that

* These verbs call for the ne explétif.

Judgments, Emotions, Feelings (JEF)

accepter que		to accept
adorer que		to love that
aimer que		to like that
apprécier que		to appreciate that
avoir honte que		to be ashamed that
avoir peur que*		to be afraid that
craindre que*		to fear that
déplorer que		to deplore that
détester que		to hate that
être content que		to be happy that
être désolé que		to be sorry that
être étonné que		to be amazed that
être heureux que		to be happy that
être surpris que		to be surprised that
être triste que		to be sad that
il est bizarre que		it is odd that
il est bon que		it is good that
il est convenable que		it is proper/fitting that
il est dommage que		it is too bad that
il est étonnant que		it is amazing that
il est étrange que		it is strange that
il est faux que		it is false that
il est heureux que		it is fortunate that
il est honteux que		it is shameful that
il est important que		it is important that
il est inutile que		it is useless that
il est juste que		it is right/fair that
il est naturel que		it is natural that
il est normal que		it is normal that
il est rare que		it is rare that
il est regrettable que		it is regrettable that
il est surprenant que		it is surprising that
il est utile que		it is useful that
il n’est pas exact que		it is not correct that
il n’est pas vrai que		it is not true that
il vaut mieux que		it is better that
redouter que*		to dread that
regretter que		to regret that
se réjouir que		to be delighted that

* These verbs call for the ne explétif.

Possibilities, Opinions, Doubts, Suppositions (PODS)

s’attendre à ce que		to expect
chercher … qui*		to look for
douter que**		to doubt that
il est douteux que**		it is doubtful that
il est impossible que		it is impossible that
il est improbable que		it is improbable that
il est possible que		it is possible that
il est peu probable que		it is improbable that
il n’est pas certain que		it is not certain that
il n’est pas clair que		it is not clear that
il n’est pas évident que		it is not obvious that
il n’est pas probable que		it is improbable that
il n’est pas sûr que		it is not certain that
il semble que		it seems that
il se peut que		it may be that
le fait que		the fact that
nier que***		to deny that
refuser que		to refuse
supposer que		to suppose, hypothesize

* Whether to use the subjunctive chercher depends on whether you know the person or thing exists – learn more.

** These do not take the subjunctive when they are used negatively.

*** When nier is in the negative or interrogative, it calls for the ne explétif.

 Subjunctive Quizzes

Think you’ve got it? Test yourself on the French subjunctive with these fill-in-the-blanks exercises.

• Changement de programme
• Se préparer pour sortir

Note: You must be logged into your Progress with Lawless French account to take these tests. If you don’t have one, sign up – it’s free!

Additional French Subjunctive Triggers

• Conjunctions
• Negation and interrogation
• Negative and indefinite pronouns
• Special uses
• Superlatives and limits
• Using the French subjunctive – PwLF super list
• Avoiding the subjunctive

 More French Subjunctive

Conjugations

• Regular verbs
• Irregular verbs

Usage

• Introduction to the French subjunctive
• The Subjunctivisor!
• La chanson du subjonctif

French Subjunctive Tenses

• Present
• Past
• Imperfect
• Pluperfect

 French Lesson Plans

• Using the French Subjunctive (Project, 9th-12th grade)
• Synopsis: French Indicative and Subjunctive Forms (Worksheet, 8th-10th grade)
• The Delicious Meal? (Worksheets and writing exercises, 10th grade)
   

 En español

• Subjuntivo
   

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