Subjunctive Triggers

Expressions of will, desire, and commands typically trigger the subjunctive in subordinate clauses when the subject changes. Phrases like vouloir que and souhaiter que signal this.

Verbs and expressions of emotion trigger the subjunctive when they refer to a dependent action and the subject differs. Feelings like fear, joy, and regret are common triggers.

Expressions of doubt, denial, and uncertainty trigger the subjunctive when the outcome is not certain. Phrases like douter que and il est possible que signal this mood.

Expressions of necessity, obligation, and usefulness trigger the subjunctive when they govern a subordinate clause with a different subject. Phrases like il faut que and il est important que are typical triggers.

Expressions that signal doubt, denial, or negation often require the subjunctive because they question the reality of the dependent action. Triggers include nier que and ne pas être sûr que.

Certain conjunctions always trigger the subjunctive because they introduce conditions, time limits, or purpose. These include bien que, pour que, and avant que.

Verbs and expressions of denial or refusal trigger the subjunctive when they relate to a subordinate clause. This includes refuser que and nier que, which question the occurrence of the action.

The subjunctive appears after triggers of will, emotion, doubt, necessity, and certain conjunctions when they govern clauses with different subjects. Learning common expressions helps spot when to use the mood.