Subjonctif

The subjunctive is a very important verb mood in French, but it may seem difficult at first.

The subjunctive is used after "que" and expresses a desire, a feeling, a doubt, or a necessity. It is formed from the "ils" form in the present tense, replacing "-ent" with the subjunctive endings (-e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent).

Some verbs are irregular and must be memorized.

1. What is the Subjunctive?

The subjunctive is a verb mood (like the indicative or the imperative) used to express:

✔ Doubt or uncertainty → Je ne pense pas qu’il vienne.(I don’t think he is coming.)

✔ A desire, a wish, or a command → Je veux que tu fasses attention.(I want you to be careful.)

✔ An emotion or a feeling → Je suis content que tu sois là.(I am happy that you are here.)

✔ A necessity or an obligation → Il faut que tu partes.(You must leave.)

Unlike the indicative (which expresses real and certain facts), the subjunctive expresses actions that are not yet realized, hypothetical, or subjective.

2. How to Know When to Use the Subjunctive?

The subjunctive is often introduced after "que" and appears in specific structures:

🔹 Verbs of emotion and feeling:

• Je suis triste que tu sois malade.(I am sad that you are sick.)

• Il est content que tu réussisses.(He is happy that you are succeeding.)

🔹 Verbs of desire and necessity:

• Il faut que tu fasses attention.(You must be careful.)

• Je veux que tu viennes avec moi.(I want you to come with me.)

🔹 Verbs of doubt and uncertainty:

• Je ne pense pas qu’il soit là.(I don’t think he is here.)

• Il est possible qu’il pleuve demain.(It is possible that it will rain tomorrow.)

🔹 Certain conjunctions (words that connect two clauses):

• Avant que → Ferme la porte avant qu’il parte.(Close the door before he leaves.)

• Bien que → Bien qu’il soit fatigué, il continue à travailler.(Although he is tired, he keeps working.)

• Pour que → Je t’explique pour que tu comprennes bien.(I am explaining so that you understand well.)

  
  

The subjunctive is also used in subordinate clauses after certain conjunctions or expressions indicating:

3. How to Form the Subjunctive?

The present subjunctive is formed from the third-person plural (ils/elles) form of the present indicative.

➡️ Remove "-ent" from the ils/elles form, then add the following endings:

✔ Verbs ending in -ER have the same form in the indicative for "I", "you", "he/she/one", and "they".

✔ "We" and "you" have the same ending as in the imperfect tense.

3.1. Irregular Verbs in the Subjunctive

Some verbs do not follow the normal rule. Here are the most important ones:

Examples:

• Il faut que tu sois prudent. - You need to be careful.

• J’aimerais que nous ayons plus de temps. - I would like us to have more time.

• Il est important qu’elle fasse son travail. It is important that she does her work.

3.2. Verbs with double stems in the subjunctive

These verbs change their stem between the singular forms and the 3rd person plural (je, tu, il/elle/on, ils/elles) and the nous and vous forms.

Here are the most common verbs with this change:

Examples with the Subjunctive:

Venir :

• Il faut que je vienne, que tu viennes, qu’il vienne, qu’ils viennent (vienn-).

• Il faut que nous venions, que vous veniez (ven-).

Prendre :

• Il est important que je prenne, que tu prennes, qu’il prenne, qu’ils prennent (prenn-).

• Il est important que nous prenions, que vous preniez (pren-).

Boire :

• Je veux que je boive, que tu boives, qu’il boive, qu’ils boivent (boiv-).

• Je veux que nous buvions, que vous buviez (buv-).

4. Tips for Remembering the Subjunctive

4.1. Learn common phrases with the subjunctive:

• Il faut que tu…

• Je veux que tu…

• Je suis content(e) que…

• Bien que…

4.2. Listen to songs or watch movies in French 

Many songs use the subjunctive, for example:

➡ "Pour que tu m’aimes encore" – Céline Dion

➡ "Il faut que je m’en aille" – Alain Souchon

4.3. Train with Simple Sentences:

Complete the sentence: "Il faut que je ___ (faire) mes devoirs."

Response: Il faut que je fasse mes devoirs.

Beware of common mistakes!

❌ Saying "Je pense qu’il soit là." → Error!

           ✔ We say "Je pense qu’il est là." (no subjunctive because there is certainty)

❌ Saying "Il faut que tu es prêt." → Error!

           ✔ We say "Il faut que tu sois prêt." (irregular verb)

The Past Subjunctive: How Does It Work?

The past subjunctive is very similar to the passé composé. It allows for the expression of an action that is anterior to another, but always within a context of doubt, emotion, necessity, or will.

1. How to Form the Past Subjunctive?

The past subjunctive is formed with the auxiliary verb "être" or "avoir" in the present subjunctive + the past participle of the verb.

This is exactly the same construction as the passé composé, except that the auxiliary is in the subjunctive instead of the indicative!

Examples:

• Je suis content que tu aies réussi ton examen. (I am glad that you passed your exam.)

• Nous devons avoir terminé d'ici midi. (We need to have finished by noon.)

➡ If the verb is conjugated with être in the passé composé (like aller, venir, partir, etc.), we use être in the present subjunctive:

Exemples :

• Je doute qu’il soit parti si tôt. (I doubt that he has left so early.)

• Elle est surprise que nous soyons venus aussi vite.

2. When to Use the Past Subjunctive?

The past subjunctive is used to talk about a past action in a sentence that requires the subjunctive (emotion, doubt, obligation, etc.).

➡ When the action in the subjunctive happened before the main action

• Je suis content que tu sois arrivé à l’heure.(I am happy that you arrived on time.)("Arriver" happened before "being happy.")

• Il faut que vous ayez fini avant midi.(You must have finished before noon.)("Finishing" happens before "it is necessary.")

➡ After certain expressions and conjunctions that require the subjunctive

• Avant que → Avant que tu sois parti, je voulais te parler.(Before you left, I wanted to talk to you.)

• Bien que → Bien qu’il ait fait froid, nous sommes sortis.(Although it was cold, we went out.)

• Jusqu’à ce que → J’attendrai jusqu’à ce qu’il ait répondu.(I will wait until he has answered.)

➡ After verbs expressing doubt or emotion

• Je doute qu’elle ait dit la vérité.(I doubt that she told the truth.)

• Je suis heureux qu’ils soient venus.(I am happy that they came.)

  
  

3. What Is the Difference Between the Present and Past Subjunctive?

💡 Tip: If you can replace the verb with the passé composé, then you should use the past subjunctive.

Example

🚫 Je doute qu’il est venu. ❌ (Incorrect, because the subjunctive is required!)

✅ Je doute qu’il soit venu. ✔ (Correct!)