French Subjunctive Formation & Uses A. FORMATION 1. Regular verbs: 1. Take the 3rd person plural form of the present tense of the verb 2. Remove the -ent ending 3. Add the following subjunctive endings The Present Subjunctive Regular Formations Endings Example: -ER Verb Example: -IR Verb Example: -RE Verb -e parle finisse vende -es parles finisses vendes -e parle finisse vende -ions parlions finissions vendions -iez parliez finissiez vendiez -ent parlent finissent vendent Note: Verbs such as sortir, partir and mettre which are irregular in the present tense are regular in the subjunctive mood. 2. Irregular Verbs: The following verbs follow the above regular formation, except that they use the first person plural form of the present tense as the stem in the nous and vous forms of the subjunctive mood: 1. appeler 2. boire 3. croire 4. devoir 5. envoyer 6. jeter 7. mourir 8. payer 9. préférer 10. prendre 11. recevoir 12. venir 13. voir 1
The Present Subjunctive Irregular Formations (1) Endings Example: -ER Verb Example: -IR Verb Example: -RE Verb -e envoie vienne prenne -es envoies viennes prennes -e envoie vienne prenne -ions envoyions venions prenions -iez envoyiez veniez preniez -ent envoient viennent prennent The following verbs have irregular stems but regular endings: The Present Subjunctive Irregular Formations (2) aller faire pouvoir savoir vouloir aille fasse puisse sache veuille ailles fasses puisses saches veuilles aille fasse puisse sache veuille allions fassions puissions sachions voulions alliez fassiez puissiez sachiez vouliez aillent fassent puissent sachent veuillent The subjunctive moods of Avoir and Être need to be learnt separately: avoir aie aies ait ayons ayez aient The Present Subjunctive Irregular Formations (3) être sois sois soit soyons soyez soient The subjunctive mood of these 2 verbs is used in compound tenses when any past tense is required: For example: Il doutait que vous l'ayez vu. J ai peur qu on soit arrivé trop tard. He doubted that you had seen it. I fear we ve arrived too late. 2
B. USES The subjunctive is used in the following cases, usually where there is a change of person: 1. To express an order, a need, a piece of advice or a desire aimer mieux que to prefer that demander que to ask désirer que to desire that empêcher que + ne to prevent éviter que + ne to avoid exiger que to demand that ordonner que to order that préférer que to prefer that proposer que to propose / suggest that souhaiter que to wish that suggérer que to suggest that vouloir que to want that il est à souhaiter que it is to be hoped 2. To express a value judgment il est essentiel que il est important que il est naturel que il est nécessaire que il est normal que il est temps que il faut que il est urgent que il vaut mieux que it is essential it is important that it is natural it is necessary that it is normal that it is time that it is necessary that it is urgent it is better that 3. To express fear, happiness, anger, regret, surprise. avoir peur que to be afraid that craindre que to fear 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 3
être surpris que être triste que il est bizarre que il est bon que il est dommage que il est étonnant que il est étrange que il est heureux que il est honteux que il est inutile que il est rare que il est regrettable que il est surprenant que il est utile que regretter que to be surprised that to be sad that it is odd it is good that it is a pity that it is amazing that it is strange it is fortunate it is shameful that it is useless that it is unusual that it is regrettable that it is surprising it is useful that to regret that 4. To express doubt, possibility, and opinion douter que to doubt il est convenable que it is proper/fitting il est douteux que it is doubtful that il est faux que it is false il est impossible que it is impossible that il est improbable que il est juste que it is right/fair il est possible que it is possible that il est peu probable que 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 il n'est pas sûr que it is not certain that il n'est pas vrai que it is not true 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 4
5. Conjunctions à condition que à moins que + ne afin que avant que + ne bien que de crainte que + ne de peur que + ne en attendant que jusqu'à ce que pour que pourvu que quoique quoi que sans que provided that unless so that before although for fear that for fear that while, until until so that provided that even though whatever, no matter what without The following phrases only require the subjunctive in the interrogatory or negative forms: croire que espérer que être certain que être sûr que il est certain que il est évident que il est probable que il est sûr que il est vrai que il me semble que penser que savoir que trouver que to believe that to hope that to be certain that to be sure that it is certain that it is obvious that it is probable that it is certain that it is true that it seems to me that to think that to know that to find/think that 5