The present subjunctive (le subjonctif présent) is a verb tense used in French to express doubt, emotion, desire, necessity, or possibility, especially in subordinate clauses. It is a mood rather than a tense, indicating that the action is subjective or uncertain.
Formation Rules
Form the present subjunctive by taking the third-person plural form of the present indicative, removing -ent, and adding the subjunctive endings:
| Pronoun | Ending |
|---|---|
| je | -e |
| tu | -es |
| il/elle/on | -e |
| nous | -ions |
| vous | -iez |
| ils/elles | -ent |
- For -er, -ir, and -re verbs, use the stem from the ils/elles form.
- For -ir verbs with -issons in the present indicative (e.g., finir → finissent), use the root accordingly (e.g., finiss-).
- Irregular verbs have unique stems and must be memorized.
- The nous and vous forms are often more regular and resemble the imperfect subjunctive stem.
```markdown
Finir (ils finissent):
- que je finisse
- que nous finissions
Parler (ils parlent):
- que je parle
- que nous parlions
```
Irregular Stems
Some common irregular verbs and their subjunctive stems:
| Verb | Je Form | Tu Form | Il/Elle Form | Nous Form | Ils/Elles Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| être | sois | sois | soit | soyons | soient | ... que je sois |
| avoir | aie | aies | ait | ayons | aient | ... que tu aies |
| aller | aille | ailles | aille | allions | aillent | ... qu’il aille |
| faire | fasse | fasses | fasse | fassions | fassent | ... que nous fassions |
| pouvoir | puisse | puisses | puisse | puissions | puissent | ... que vous puissiez |
| savoir | sache | saches | sache | sachions | sachent | ... qu’ils sachent |
| vouloir | veuille | veuilles | veuille | voulions | veuillent | ... que je veuille |
| venir | vienne | viennes | vienne | venions | viennent | ... que tu viennes |
Use these stems and add the regular endings to form the subjunctive.
Usage
The present subjunctive is used in subordinate clauses introduced by que to express:
| Use | Meaning | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desire/Wish | expressing a wish or desire | Je veux que tu partes. | I want you to leave. |
| Emotion | expressing feelings | Je suis content que tu sois là. | I’m happy that you are here. |
| Doubt/Uncertainty | expressing doubt or possibility | Je doute qu’il vienne. | I doubt that he is coming. |
| Necessity/Obligation | expressing something necessary | Il faut que nous finissions. | We must finish. |
| Impersonal Expressions | general statements using “il faut que,” “il est important que,” etc. | Il est important que vous sachiez la vérité. | It’s important that you know the truth. |
Example Sentences
| French | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Il faut que je parte maintenant. | I have to leave now. |
| Je suis heureux que tu viennes. | I’m happy that you’re coming. |
| Je veux qu’ils réussissent. | I want them to succeed. |
| Bien que nous soyons fatigués, nous continuons. | Although we are tired, we continue. |
| Pourvu qu’il ne pleuve pas demain ! | Let’s hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow! |
Il faut que nous ________. (finir)
finish
"finissions" is the subjunctive form of "finir" used after the impersonal expression "Il faut que...".
Je suis content que tu ________ là. (être)
are here
"sois" is the subjunctive form of "être" used after "Je suis content que..." to express emotion.
Tip
- The present subjunctive is usually introduced by que.
- Subordinate clauses without que (e.g., infinitive clauses) do not use the subjunctive.
- If the subject of both clauses is the same, French often uses the infinitive instead of the subjunctive.
Summary
- Form the subjunctive stem from the ils/elles form of the present indicative.
- Add subjunctive endings (-e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent).
- Use irregular stems where necessary.
- Use the subjunctive after expressions of desire, emotion, doubt, necessity, or impersonal expressions.
- The subjunctive is only used in subordinate clauses introduced by que.
With practice, the subjunctive becomes a powerful tool to express subtle shades of meaning in French.
Flashcards (1 of 10)
- Use: Desire/Wish
- Meaning: expressing a wish or desire
- Example (English): I want you to leave.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
