Subjunctive mood
The subjunctive is a verb mood that expresses actions or ideas that are subjective or uncertain. It can indicate doubt, necessity, emotion, or a desire rather than a straightforward statement of fact. Although it can seem complicated at first, the subjunctive is a normal and frequent part of everyday French.
There are four moods in French – the indicative, the imperative, the conditional and the subjunctive. If you have learned verb tenses like the present, the passé composé, the imparfait, the futur simple or the plus-que-parfait, these are all verb tenses in the indicative mood. If you have learned how to give commands in French (eg Venez ici ! – come here!), you have learned the imperative mood. And if you have learned the present conditional and perhaps the past conditional, you have come across the conditional mood.
The Subjunctive in English
English also has a subjunctive mood, though it is rarely used in everyday conversation. In modern English, the subjunctive mostly appears in formal or literary contexts, or in certain fixed expressions. It is used to express wishes, demands, suggestions, or hypothetical situations. For example:
- I suggest that he arrive early.
- It is important that she be on time.
- If I were taller, I would play basketball.
Notice in these examples that the verb form is different from what we would expect in normal indicative statements. In “that he arrive,” “arrive” is used instead of the more usual “arrives.” In “that she be,” “be” is used instead of “is.” In “if I were,” “were” is used instead of “was.”
While use of the English subjunctive is limited to better-educated people, the French subjunctive is very much alive and widely used by all sectors of French society.
The French Subjunctive
In French, the subjunctive is required in a variety of situations. It often appears in dependent clauses introduced by “que.” Here are the main types of expressions that call for the subjunctive:
1. Necessity and Obligation
When expressing that something is necessary or obligatory, the subjunctive is used.
- Il faut que tu viennes.
(It is necessary that you come.) - Il est essentiel que nous finissions à l’heure.
(It is essential that we finish on time.)
2. Volition and Desire
When expressing a wish, command, or desire, the subjunctive is also required.
- Je veux que tu sois heureux.
(I want you to be happy.) - Elle préfère que nous partions tôt.
(She prefers that we leave early.)
3. Doubt and Uncertainty
When expressing doubt, disbelief, or uncertainty, the subjunctive is used.
- Je doute qu’il comprenne.
(I doubt that he understands.) - Il n’est pas certain que nous réussissions.
(It is not certain that we succeed.)
4. Emotion
When expressing emotions like happiness, fear, sadness, or anger, the subjunctive is necessary.
- Je suis content que tu sois ici.
(I am happy that you are here.) - Nous avons peur qu’il ne vienne pas.
(We are afraid that he might not come.)
5. Certain Conjunctions
Some conjunctions automatically trigger the subjunctive. These include:
- avant que (before)
- pour que (so that)
- bien que (although)
- à condition que (provided that)
Examples:
- Nous partirons avant qu’il n’arrive.
(We will leave before he arrives.) - Je le fais pour que tu sois content.
(I am doing it so that you are happy.) - Bien qu’il soit jeune, il est très sage.
(Although he is young, he is very wise.)
6. The Superlative
The subjunctive is also used after a superlative expression when it implies a subjective judgment, doubt, or when the speaker is not presenting something as an absolute fact. Examples include:
- C’est la meilleure chanson que j’aie jamais entendue.
(It is the best song that I have ever heard.) - Il est le seul étudiant qui comprenne ce problème.
(He is the only student who understands this problem.) - C’est la pire chose que tu puisses faire.
(It is the worst thing you could do.)
In these cases, the superlative introduces an opinion or an element of subjectivity, which calls for the subjunctive.
7. Common irregular verbs in the Present Subjunctive
| Infinitive | Je | Tu | Il/Elle/On | Nous | Vous | Ils/Elles |
|---|
| être | sois | sois | soit | soyons | soyez | soient |
| avoir | aie | aies | ait | ayons | ayez | aient |
| aller | aille | ailles | aille | allions | alliez | aillent |
| faire | fasse | fasses | fasse | fassions | fassiez | fassent |
| pouvoir | puisse | puisses | puisse | puissions | puissiez | puissent |
| savoir | sache | saches | sache | sachions | sachiez | sachent |
| vouloir | veuille | veuilles | veuille | voulions | vouliez | veuillent |
