French Subjunctive

July 2015 Lesson: The French Subjunctive
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French Subjunctive
The first thing to know about the subjunctive is that it’s not a verb “tense,” which indicates
whether something happens in the present, past, or future. The subjunctive is a “mood,”
which means that it tells the listener how the speaker feels about what’s happening
or not happening. It’s about subjectivity, not reality, and is required after many verbs,
expressions, and conjunctions. Here are a few common ones:
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afin que
aimer que
avoir honte que
bien que
défendre que
détester que
être content que
être triste que so that
to like that
to be ashamed that
although
to forbid
to hate that
to be happy that
to be sad that
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exiger que
il est bon que
il est dommage que
il est essentiel que
il est étrange que
il est important que
il est impossible que
il est normal que
il est possible que
il est rare que
to demand that
it is good that
it is too bad that
it is essential that
it is strange that
it is important that
it is impossible that
it is normal that
it is possible that
it is rare that
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T hin k Fre nch - juil l et 2 0 1 5
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il faut que
il semble que pour que
pourvu que préférer que souhaiter que
vouloir que
it is necessary that
it seems that
so that
provided that
to prefer that
to wish that
to want that
There are two requirements for using the subjunctive.
1) The phrase calling for it has to end in que (or rarely qui). Many of these expressions
can end in de instead, and when they do, they must be followed by the infinitive
rather than the subjunctive.
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J’ai honte que nous soyons en retard. I’m ashamed that we’re late.
J’ai honte d’être en retard. I’m ashamed to be late.
Il est impossible que tu partes tôt. It’s impossible for you to leave early.
Il est impossible de partir tôt.
It’s impossible to leave early.
2) The two clauses must have different subjects. When the subject is the same, the
infinitive must be used instead.
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Je préfères que tu finisses le travail. Je préfère finir le travail moi-même.
Elle déteste que Jean perde. Elle déteste perdre.
I’d prefer that you finish the work.
I’d prefer to finish the work myself.
She hates (it) that Jean is losing.
She hates to lose.
Many students find that the subjunctive is one of the most difficult parts of French, so
be sure to study additional lessons and to memorize the list of expressions that need it.
This lesson is just an introduction; click the links below for a more in-depth look and a
complete list of verbs, expressions, and conjunctions that need the subjunctive. Bonne
continuation !
Further Reading
• Detailed subjunctive lesson
• Subjunctive conjugations
• The Subjunctivisor
w w w. t h i n k f re n c h . c o m
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