Understanding French Subjunctive

1. What is the Subjunctive Mood?

The subjunctive is a mood: a grammatical term which describes the subjects attitude.
The subjunctive is a mood which expressing wish, hope, fear, uncertainty, and other attitudes or
feelings toward a fact or an idea.
Often, 2 different people are involved: the first one wanting/hoping/ fearing that the
other one does something.
Sometimes, it is an expression which is followed by the subjunctive, such as il faut que. You
will need to memorize by heart which expressions are followed by the subjunctive (versus the
expressions followed by the indicative).
In English, the subjunctive is very rare (I wish I were with you). In French, it is quite common.
However, if you are a beginner, I would not worry about the subjunctive right now but
concentrate on the tenses of the indicative.
This is a long lesson. I suggest you take your time to go through it, let the concepts sink in, and
bookmark it for future reference. You wont conquer Subjunctive in one reading!

2. How To Memorize the French Subjunctive?

In my opinion, to memorize your French irregular Subjunctive forms, drilling with audio is the
only solution: you need to create reflexes, hear the form in your head.
Concentrate on the most common verbs : aller, tre, avoir, prendre.
This is pure memorization, it has nothing to do with understanding, so I wont talk about it here.

3. Que is Often Followed by the Subjunctive in French

The conjunction that is followed by the subjunctive is mostly que.
Other conjunctions like quand and si dont use the subjunctive. So you only have to worry
about using the subjunctive when you are about to say a sentence using que (most cases) or
qui.
(Ok there are a bit more with the superlative constructions le seul endroit o je ne sois
jamais all for example this is quite advanced so I wont talk about it here. Please just
remember the large majority of subjunctive cases are going to be with que).

4. French Subjunctive = Several People are Involved in the

Action Process
To have a Subjunctive in French, you need:
1. At least two people = person A doing the action, person B wanting/ wishing /
ordering / fearing that person A does this action.
2. Or an expression requesting that one particular person does something (versus everybody
doing it)
Lets take some examples of sentences using the Subjunctive and the Indicative:

Je veux que vous fassiez la vaisselle. (me wanting you to do it = several involved =
subjunctive)

Je veux faire la vaisselle. (me wanting me to do the dishes = only me involved =

infinitive)

Il faut que tu fasses la vaisselle (this condition applies only to you = subjunctive)

Il faut faire la vaisselle (true for everybody = infinitive)

Je suis contente que tu fasses la vaisselle. (me being happy that you do the dishes = 2
people subjunctive)

Je suis contente de faire la vaisselle. (me being happy that I do the dishes = one person =
indicative)

So, if the same person is doing both actions, or if its a general statement concerning
everybody, you can avoid the Subjunctive and use an infinitive construction.

5. No interrogative Form With the French Subjunctive

You can use a subjunctive clause in a question, for example Voulez-vous que je vienne avec
vous? , but there is no way to turn a subjunctive clause itself into a question.
Now that the ground rules are established, let me explain in details the French Subjunctive.
What follows works most of the time, Im sure youll find exceptions, but I hope it helps making
most cases clearer.

A The French Subjunctive States 2 things:

 One person influencing/having feeling for a DIFFERENT persons action.

Je veux que tu fasses la vaisselle. I = first person, want = verb of influence, you =
different person, do the dishes = the action the first person is trying to influence.

Je suis contente que tu fasses la vaisselle. I = first person, am happy = feeling, you =
different person, do the dishes = the action the first person has a feeling about.

The percentage of chance FOR THE SPEAKER of this wish/fear/order/ becoming a

reality.

Je constate quil est l. Actually, I can see him, FOR ME, this is a 100% sure thing =
indicative. The actual reality is that he is an holographic projection but the truth lies in
the eyes of the beholder

Jaimerais quil soit l. But I know his plane is stuck in NY. Probability of my wish
becoming a reality is almost 0 = subjunctive.

So, where do you draw the line ? Id say:

1.

If you know for sure its the reality = Indicative in French.

2. Over 70% chance of the action becoming a reality = Indicative in French.

3. If there is under 70% chance of the action becoming a reality = Subjunctive in
French.

B Examples of French sentences using either the Indicative

or Subjunctive

Il est certain quil sera l demain = 100% chance of becoming a reality = indicative

Il est probable quil sera l demain = 70% chance of becoming a reality = indicative

Il est possible quil soit l demain = 50% chance of becoming a reality = subjunctive

Je crois quil va partir. Im positive about it. Say 90% hes going to leave = indicative.

Je dsire quil parte. But he really wants to stay so there is only a 2% chance he is
going to leave = subjunctive.

Jexige que tu ailles lcole. OK, but you have no intention of going. So even if I want
it, its not the reality, and I know it = little chance of becoming a reality = subjunctive

Regarde! Une maison avec un toit orange. I am actually looking at this house. 100%
chance of the house existing = indicative.

Je rve dune maison avec un toit orange et un grand jardin et une piscine. I am at a
realtors place and describing my dream house. He might or might not have one, I am not
sure it exists for my budget that is :-) = subjunctive

C French Subjunctive In the Negative

All these verbs introduce the subjunctive in the negative, since now the percentage of chance of
the action becoming a reality is very low:

Je pense quil reviendra = his coming, to me, has a 90% chance of becoming a reality =
indicative

Je ne pense pas quil revienne = his coming, to me, has a 5% of becoming a reality =
subjunctive

Watch out: I dont think he will come is not the same thing as I think he will not come.
You have to keep the action you are talking about very clear, and make sure you are applying the
negative the the correct part of the sentence and not changing your sentence altogether.

D The Ne Expletif A Ne Without any Negative Value

Je crains quelle ne mente. I am afraid she is lying to me (not that she is NOT lying to
me)

The ne here has no negative value. Its a rather formal concept, called le ne expltif and it
comes with verbs of fear and some expressions.
The use of the ne expltif is not compulsory, its almost never used in speaking, and has no
meaning whatsoever: its only there to be pretty and confuse students of French!!)
Now, all this being said, another method is to learn by heart. And it may work better :-)
Here is a list of common verbs and conjunctions followed by indicative or subjunctive:

Common French Verbs Followed by the Indicative

constater que,

observer que,

remarquer que,

savoir que,

trouver que,

affirmer que,

dclarer que,

dire que
+ indicatif.

But also:

imaginer,

esprer

croire,

penser,

supposer
+ indicatif.

Here it helps to understand that French people take their beliefs for a reality (LOL).
Verbs like croire que, penser que, supposer que, imaginer que, esprer que are followed by the
indicative = that is logical because you do trust that it is the truth.
But souhaiter que is followed by the subjunctive. Honestly, I think its stupid, and makes no
sense. Maybe its an evolution of the language

Common French Expressions Followed by the Indicative:

il est clair que,

il est certain que,

il est sr que,

il est probable que

+ indicatif

Common French Verbs Followed by the Subjunctive

French verbs expressing wish = souhaiter, dsirer, suggrer, proposer, conseiller + que +
subjunctive

French verbs expressing likes and dislikes = aimer, prfrer, dtester, adorer + que +
subjunctive

French verbs expressing fear = avoir peur, craindre, redouter + que + subjunctive

French verbs expressing regrets = regretter, tre dsol + que + subjunctive

French verbs expressing doubt = douter + que + subjunctive

French verbs expressing order = vouloir, ordonner, exiger, permettre, refuser, supplier +
que + subjunctive

Common French Expressions Followed by the Subjunctive

il faut que,

il vaut mieux que,

il est important que,

il est dommage que

+ subjunctive

Pour que

afin que,

de sorte que,

de crainte que,

de peur que,

avant que,

en attendant que,

jusqu ce que,

bien que,

moins que,

condition que,

pourvu que
+ subjunctive

Avant Que + Subjunctive BUT Aprs Que + Indicative !!!

Avant que is followed by the subjunctive = its logical, there is a notion of uncertainty: you
wont know for sure beforehands.

Tu devras partir avant quil ne vienne. (This ne expletif again)

However, aprs que is followed by the indicative logical again, now you know for sure.

En gnral, je pars aprs quil vient.

Although many French people use the subjunctive myself included Its a mistake but a very
common one: the indicative sounds awful there I wouldnt be surprised if this rule actually
changed to allow the subjunctive in the near future.
I would actually never say that, and find an alternative:

En gnral, je pars aprs son arrive.

Ways To Avoid the Subjunctive in French

There are several ways of avoiding the Subjunctive in French.
1. Use a noun
If you used a noun instead of a verb, there would be no problem at all this applies
mostly to avant que.
Il finit avant le dpart de sa femme (instead of Il finit avant que sa femme ne parte).
2. Make a general statement
Instead of applying your sentence to one specific person, make a general statement.
Il faut faire du sport (instead of il faut que tu fasses du sport)
3. Find a way around it use two sentences if need be

Tu dois partir immdiatement. Je lxige. (instead of jexige que tu partes

immdiatement)

The French Irregular Verb Pouvoir Conjugation - Can, to be Able, May

The French verb Pouvoir - To be Able (to do something), Can, May, is very used in French, and
it has an extremely irregular conjugation and needs to be learned by heart.
Pouvoir and Politeness in French

The French verb Pouvoir is very much used for politeness in French :

Pourrais-tu me passer l'eau ?

Could you please pass the water?

Je suis dsole, je ne peux pas venir demain.

I'm sorry, I cannot come tomorrow.

How do you Say "May I" in French?

Note that Pouvoir has a very formal "je" form to ask for permission: je puis.
"Je puis" (or puis-je in inversion) is very old-fashioned and we don't use it much nowadays.
Using the present conditional, or even the present indicative nowadays is much more common.

Puis-je vous aider - May I help you - very formal and old-fashioned.

Pourrais-je vous aider - May I help you - very formal.

Est-ce que je peux vous aider - Can I help you - much more common
nowadays.

No Imperative Mood for Pouvoir

You cannot conjugate Pouvoir in the Imperative : you cannot order someone: "can !", it makes no
sense.
To Be Able To Versus To Be

Do not mistake the notion of "to be able to" with the verb "to be" (tre). "To be able to" is the
notion of "can"- in English you cannot say "will you can" - you have to say "will you be able
to".
Now, let's see how to conjugate "Pouvoir".

Pouvoir Conjugated in the Indicative Mood

Present
Prsent
je peux
tu peux
il peut
nous pouvons
vous pouvez
ils peuvent

Present Perfect
Pass compos
j'ai pu
tu as pu
il a pu
nous avons pu
vous avez pu
ils ont pu

Imperfect
Imparfait
je pouvais
tu pouvais
il pouvait
nous pouvions
vous pouviez
ils pouvaient

Pluperfect
Plus-que-parfait
j'avais pu
tu avais pu
il avait pu
nous avions pu
vous aviez pu
ils avaient pu

Future
Futur
je pourrai
tu pourras
il pourra
nous pourrons
vous pourrez
ils pourront

Future Perfect
Futur antrieur
j'aurai pu
tu auras pu
il aura pu
nous aurons pu
vous aurez pu
ils auront pu

Simple Past
Pass simple
je pus
tu pus
il put
nous pmes
vous ptes
ils purent

Past Anterior
Pass antrieur
j'eus pu
tu eus pu
il eut pu
nous emes pu
vous etes pu
ils eurent pu

Pouvoir Conjugated in the Conditional Mood

Cond. Present
Cond. Prsent

Cond. Past
Cond. Pass

Pouvoir Conjugated in the Conditional Mood

je pourrais
tu pourrais
il pourrait
nous pourrions
vous pourriez
ils pourraient

j'aurais pu
tu aurais pu
il aurait pu
nous aurions pu
vous auriez pu
ils auraient pu

Pouvoir Conjugated in the Subjunctive Mood

Subjunctive Present
Subjonctif Prsent
que je puisse
que tu puisses
qu'il puisse
que nous puissions
que vous puissiez
qu'ils puissent

Subjunctive Past
Subjonctif Pass
que j'aie pu
que tu aies pu
qu'il ait pu
que nous ayons pu
que vous ayez pu
qu'ils aient pu

Subj. Imperfect
Subj. Imparfait
que je pusse
que tu pusses
qu'il pt
que nous pussions
que vous pussiez
qu'ils pussent

Subj. Pluperfect
Subj. Plus-que-parfait
que j'eusse pu
que tu eusses pu
qu'il et pu
que nous eussions pu
que vous eussiez pu
qu'ils eussent pu

Savoir

je
tu
il
nous
vous
ils

Subjunctive
sache
saches
sache
sachions
sachiez
sachent

Conditional
saurais
saurais
saurait
saurions
sauriez
sauraient

Pass simple
sus
sus
sut
smes
stes
surent

Imperfect subjunctive
susse
susses
st
sussions
sussiez
sussent