Variable Subjunctive

Subjonctif variable

Obviousness, knowledge, certainty, and hope are considered real – at least to the speaker – and therefore do not call for the subjunctive. Using these verbs and expressions in the negative or interrogative, however, indicates doubt: thus the subjunctive is required.

c’est que		it’s that/because
connaître (quelqu’un) qui		to know (someone) that
croire que		to believe that
dire que		to say that
espérer que		to hope that
être certain que		to be certain that
être sûr que		to be sure that
il est certain que		it is certain that
il est clair que		it is clear/obvious that
il est évident que		it is obvious that
il est probable que		it is probable that
il est exact que		it is correct/true that
il est sûr que		it is certain that
il est vrai que		it is true that
il me (te, lui…) semble que		it seems to me (you, him…) that
il paraît que		it appears that
penser que		to think that
savoir que		to know that
trouver que		to find/think that
vouloir dire que		to mean that

Par exemple…

Je pense qu’il est sympa	Je ne pense pas qu’il soit sympa.	Penses-tu qu’il soit sympa ?
I think he’s nice.	I don’t think he’s nice.	Do you think he’s nice?
Je connais un médecin qui fait visites à domicile.	Je ne connais aucun médecin qui fasse visites à domicile.	Connais-tu un médecin qui fasse visites à domicile ?
I know a doctor who makes housecalls.	I don’t know any doctors who make house calls.	Do you know a doctor who makes house calls?
Il est clair que Luc le sait.	Il n’est pas clair que Luc le sache.	Est-il clair que Luc le sache ?
It’s clear that Luc knows.	It’s not clear whether Luc knows.	Is it clear that Luc knows?

  More French subjunctive

• Introduction to the subjunctive
• Regular subjunctive conjugations
• Irregular subjunctive conjugations
• Subjunctive with negative and indefinite pronouns
• The Subjunctivisor!
• Introduction to verbs

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