Subjonctif - French Subjunctive - Usage
The subjunctive mood is used to express actions which are
subjective: will/wanting, emotion, doubt, possibility, necessity,
judgment. It is nearly always found in dependent clauses
introduced by que. The subjects of the dependent and main
clauses are usually different. Remember that "that" is not always
required in English.
Je veux que tu le fasses. I want you to do it.
Il faut que nous partions. It is necessary that we leave.
The subjunctive is used when the main clause expresses subjectivity,
as with the following cases:
I. Verbs/expressions of will which express an order, a need, a piece II. Verbs/expressions of emotion or feeling which indicate fear,
of advice, or a want. happiness, anger, regret, surprise, or other sentiments.
aimer mieux que to like better / to prefer that avoir peur que to be afraid that
demander que to ask (someone to do something) craindre que to fear that
désirer que to desire that être content que to be happy that
donner l'ordre que to order that être désolé que to be sorry that
empêcher que* to prevent être étonné que to be amazed that
éviter que* to avoid être heureux que to be happy that
exiger que to demand that être surpris que to be surprised that
ordonner que to order that être triste que to be sad that
préférer que to prefer that il est bizarre que it is odd
proposer que to propose that il est bon que it is good that
souhaiter que to wish that il est dommage que it is too bad that
suggérer que to suggest that il est étonnant que it is amazing that
vouloir que to want that il est étrange que it is strange
il est à souhaiter que it is to be hoped il est heureux que it is fortunate
il est essentiel que it is essential 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 naturel que it is natural il est rare que it is rare that
il est nécessaire que it is necessary that il est regrettable que it is regrettable that
il est normal que it is normal that il est surprenant que it is surprising
il est temps que it is time that il est utile que it is useful that
il faut que it is necessary that regretter que to regret that
il est urgent que it is urgent
il vaut mieux que it is better that
*these verbs are followed by the ne explétif:
Évitez qu'il ne parte - Prevent him from leaving.
III. Verbs/expressions of doubt, possibility, and opinion
chercher ... qui to look for
Je cherche un homme qui sache la vérité (he
may not exist = doubt)
détester que to hate
douter que to doubt
nier que to deny
il est convenable
it is proper/fitting
que
il est douteux que it is doubtful that
il est faux que it is false
il est impossible
it is impossible that
que
il est improbable
it is improbable that
que
il est juste que it is right/fair
il est possible que it is possible that
il est peu probable
it is improbable that
que
il n'est pas certain
it is not certain that
que
il n'est pas clair
it is not clear that
que
il n'est pas évident
it is not obvious that
que
il n'est pas
it is improbable that
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
Note: the following verbs and expressions do not take the ainsi que just as, so as
subjunctive when they are used in the affirmative, because they
express facts which are considered certain. When negative or alors que while, whereas
interrogatory, they require the subjunctive (Example: Penses-tu qu'il
soit sympa ? Oui, je pense qu'il est sympa, Non, je ne pense pas qu'il après que* after, when
soit sympa.):
aussitôt que* as soon as
connaître (quelqu'un) qui to know (someone) that car since, because
croire que to believe that en même temps que at the same time that
espérer que to hope that depuis que since
être certain que to be certain that dès que* as soon as, immediately
être sûr que to be sure that lorsque* when
il est certain que it is certain that parce que because
il est évident que it is obvious that pendant que while
il est probable que it is probable that plutôt que instead of, rather than
il est sûr que it is certain that puisque since, as
il est vrai que it is true that quand* when
il me (te, lui...) semble que it seems to me (you, him...) that tandis que while, whereas
penser que to think that une fois que* once
savoir que to know that
*These verbs are followed by the future tense.
trouver que to find/think that
V. The verbs in sentences with the indefinite pronoun ne ...
IV. The following conjunctions personne, ne ... rien, quelqu'un, or quelque chose as the subject
of the main clause.
à condition que provided that VI. Main clauses which contain the words seul, unique, premier,
dernier, or any superlative
à moins que* unless
afin que so that C'est la seule personne que je connaisse.
C'est l'étudiante la plus intelligente que j'aie.
avant que* before
bien que although NOTE: There is no future subjunctive. Even if the action is to
happen in the future, the present subjunctive is used. However, there
de crainte que* for fear that is a past subjunctive.
de peur que* for fear that
I know it seems overwhelming, but the thing to remember is the
en attendant que while, until subjunctive = subjective. That should help you figure it out at least
90% of the time.
jusqu'à ce que until
pour que so that
pourvu que provided that
quoique even though
quoi que whatever, no matter what
sans que without
*these conjunctions are followed by the ne explétif:
Mangeons avant que nous ne partions - Let's eat before we leave
Note: the following conjunctions do not take the subjunctive,
because they express facts which are considered certain:
