12.11: Structure - Subjonctif (formation)
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In this section, you will learn how to conjugate verbs in the subjunctive
Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.
On étudie !
Formation du subjonctif
So far, all the tenses we have learned — présent, imparfait, passé composé, futur — are in the indicative mood.
Now, we are going to the subjunctive mood (le mode subjonctif) and how to form verbs in the present subjunctive.
The indicative is used to describe actions, events, and states that are considered to be more or less real and true, like facts and beliefs. However, when actions, events or states are subjected to a person’s feelings or judgement, or seen as uncertain, impossible, or just hypothetical, we use the subjunctive. Compare :
Indicative Subjunctive
Vous mangez beaucoup de légumes. Il faut que vous mangiez beaucoup de légumes.
You eat a lot of vegetables. You need to eat a lot of vegetables.
- In the indicative, you are eating vegetables — or at least I think you are. The action is treated as more or less certain and real — even if it’s in an imaginary world.
- In the subjunctive, you are not necessarily eating vegetables; I am just saying that you need to. The action of eating vegetables is only presented here as something that is necessary to do, not as something that is happening or happens in general. Thus, eating vegetables (vous mangez [you eat]) is subordinate — subjected, subjoined — to the need to eat vegetables (Il faut que [It’s necessary that]).
Not all uses of the subjective are the result of necessity or obligation. Any clause can be in the subjunctive mood if it is subjected to an attitude or judgement. For example:
Il est important que nous arrêtions la déforestation. (It is important that we stop deforestation.)
Il est bon qu’elle prenne des cours de français. (It is good that she is taking French classes.)
The main clauses1 — Il est important (It is important) & Il est bon (It is good) — create a subjunctive mood for the subordinate clauses that follow. In sentence (1), we are focused on the importance of the action of stopping deforestation (arrêter la déforestation). In sentence (2), our focus is on how good is it that someone is taking French classes (prendre des cours de français).
(a) One-stem verbs
- The subjunctive stems are usually the same as the stem for ils/elles, and you use the same stem for all the endings.
- The subjunctive endings are the same as the indicative present tense endings of regular -er verbs, except for nous and vous.
| Que + sujet | Parler | Finir | Attendre |
|---|---|---|---|
| que je, j’ | parle | finisse | attende |
| que tu | parles | finisses | attendes |
| qu’il, elle, on | parle | finisse | attende |
| que nous | parlions | finissions | attendions |
| que vous | parliez | finissiez | attendiez |
| qu’ils, elles | parlent | finissent | attendent |
Some verbs that normally have irregular stems in the present indicative tense actually have regular stems in the subjunctive. These verbs include:
| Infinitif | Racine | Terminaison |
|---|---|---|
| connaître | connaiss- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
| dire | dis- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
| dormir | dorm- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
| écrire | écriv- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
| lire | lis- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
| mettre | mett- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
| partir | part- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
| sentir | sent- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
| servir | serv- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
| sortir | sort- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
| suivre | suiv- | -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent |
(b) Two-stem verbs. These are called two stem verbs because they each have two stems: one for je, tu, il, elle, on, ils, and elles ; and a different one for nous and vous. (Note: the stem for nous and vous is the same as those of the imparfait):
| Que + sujet | Acheter | Venir | Prendre | Boire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| que je, j’ | achète | vienne | prenne | boive |
| que tu | achètes | viennes | prennes | boives |
| qu’il, elle, on | achète | vienne | prenne | boive |
| que nous | achetions | venions | prenions | buvions |
| que vous | achetiez | veniez | preniez | buviez |
| qu’ils, elles | achètent | viennent | prennent | boivent |
Here is one trick for recognizing when a subjunctive mood is triggered:
Verbs, nouns and adjectives that could have a phrase such as cette situation, cette possibilité, cette action as their object tend to trigger a subjunctive in any subordinate clause that acts as their object.
Je veux qu’il vienne à la soirée. (I want him to come to the party.)
= je veux cette situation/possibilité/action. ➔ Je le veux.
Elle préfère que nous la rencontrions à la librairie. (She prefers that we meet her at the bookstore.)
= elle préfère cette situation/possibilité/action. ➔ Elle le préfère.
…but also sometimes as their subject, as in the case of impersonal expressions:
Il faut qu’on aille à l’aéroport maintenant. (We have to go to the airport now.)
= cette situation/action est nécessaire. ➔ C’est nécessaire.
(c) If you haven’t guessed by now: Yes! There are some verbs with irregular stems in the subjunctive, and they are very important ones. Here they are:
| Infinitif | Faire | Aller | Pouvoir | Vouloir | Être | Avoir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| subjunctive stem: | fass- | aill- | puiss | veuill-, voul- | — | — |
| que je, j’ | fasse | aille | puisse | veuille | sois | aie |
| que tu | fasses | ailles | puisses | veuilles | sois | aies |
| qu’il, elle, on | fasse | aille | puisse | veuille | soit | ait |
| que nous | fassions | allions | puissions | voulions | soyons | ayons |
| que vous | fassiez | alliez | puissiez | vouliez | soyez | ayez |
| qu’ils, elles | fassent | aillent | puissent | veuillent | soient | aient |
Être and avoir are the most irregular of these with multiple stem and ending variations.
Study the Quizlet vocabulary flashcards. Listen and repeat the French pronunciation.
On pratique !
Activité
Complétez les phrase en conjuguant les verbes entre parentèses au subjonctif.
Modèle : Il est nécessaire que tu ________ (lire) ce livre. ➔ Il est nécessaire que tu lises ce livre.
- Il faut que tu ________ (aller) à New York une fois par mois.
- Marc préfère que nous ________ (rester) chez lui.
- Je veux que tu ________ (boire) de l'eau.
- Il est normal que tu ________ (avoir) un ordinateur.
- Il est important que vous ________ (écrire) cette lettre.
- Je doute qu'elle ________ (venir) chez nous ce soir.
- Il est rare que Luc et Gisèle ________ (finir) leurs devoirs à temps.
- Nous ne sommes pas sûrs que ce ________ (être) une erreur.
- Recommendez-vous que je ________ (parler) au chef ?
- J'ai peur qu'elle ________ (mettre) en péril notre projet.
On approfondit !
Use the following resources to type accents and/or search for words:
- Accents: ç, à, é, è, â, ê, î, ô, û, ù, ë, ï, ü
- Dictionnaire français-anglais