A thorough explanation of the French present subjunctive, including its formation, usage, and key examples.
The French present subjunctive (le subjonctif présent) is a verb mood used to express doubt, emotion, necessity, possibility, or subjectivity. It is often found in dependent clauses following certain conjunctions and expressions. The present subjunctive covers all persons (je, tu, il/elle/on, nous, vous, ils/elles).
How It Works
The present subjunctive is formed by taking the third-person plural (ils/elles) form of the verb in the present indicative, removing the -ent ending to find the stem, then adding the subjunctive endings: -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent. Irregular verbs have unique stems.
Example: parler (to speak)
- Ils parlent → parl- + [e, es, e, ions, iez, ent]
Que je parle = that I speak
Which form provides the stem for the subjunctive: 'ils parlent' or 'je parle'?
ils parlent
The stem comes from the third-person plural (ils/elles) form 'parlent', minus the -ent ending, not from the first-person 'je parle'.
What subjunctive endings are added to the stem in the present subjunctive?
-e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent
The present subjunctive uses the endings -e, -es, -e for singular and third-person, and -ions, -iez, -ent for the nous, vous, and ils/elles forms.
When to Use
The subjunctive is used mainly in subordinate clauses introduced by que, following expressions of:
- Necessity
- Desire or wish
- Doubt or uncertainty
- Emotion or judgment
- Possibility
It often appears after impersonal expressions (il faut que, il est important que), verbs of wishing/hoping (souhaiter que, vouloir que), or expressions of fear/doubt (avoir peur que, douter que).
Examples
- Il faut que tu finisses tes devoirs. (You must finish your homework.)
- Je veux qu’elle vienne ce soir. (I want her to come tonight.)
- Nous doutons qu’il soit prêt. (We doubt that he is ready.)
- Je suis contente que vous puissiez venir. (I’m glad you can come.)
- Bien qu’il ait beaucoup étudié, il est fatigué. (Although he studied a lot, he is tired.)
Common Stems
| Infinitive | Subjunctive Stem | Note |
|---|---|---|
| être | soi- (je sois) | Irregular |
| avoir | ai- (j’aie) | Irregular |
| aller | all- (j’aille) | Irregular |
| faire | fass- (je fasse) | Irregular |
| pouvoir | puiss- (je puisse) | Irregular |
| savoir | sach- (je sache) | Irregular |
| vouloir | veuill-/voul- (je veuille) | Irregular (nous/vous: voul-) |
Regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs use the root from the 3rd person plural indicative.
What is the subjunctive stem for 'savoir'?
sach-
'Savoir' has the irregular stem 'sach-' (e.g., je sache) in the subjunctive.
Summary
- Form with the 3rd person plural stem + -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent
- Use after que in clauses expressing subjectivity (need, desire, doubt, emotion)
- Irregular verbs have unique subjunctive stems
- Avoid using the subjunctive in main clauses or when expressing objective facts
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
