When To Use Subjunctive French

Mastering the French Subjunctive: A Comprehensive Guide

The French subjunctive, often a source of frustration for learners, is a mood used to express a speaker's attitude towards the action or state of being described in a verb. It doesn't describe a factual event, but rather a wish, doubt, emotion, necessity, or opinion. Unlike the indicative, which states facts, the subjunctive expresses subjectivity. Understanding when to use the subjunctive is key to sounding natural and fluent in French. This comprehensive guide will break down the rules and provide ample examples to help you master this crucial grammatical aspect.

Understanding the Subjunctive Mood

Before diving into the specific uses, let's solidify the core concept. The subjunctive doesn't describe something that is happening; it describes something that should, might, could, or ought to happen, or something the speaker is expressing an opinion or feeling about. Think of it as expressing a subjective reality rather than an objective one.

The subjunctive is expressed differently depending on the tense and the subject pronoun. We'll explore the most common tenses, but understanding the core concept is paramount before memorizing conjugations.

When to Use the French Subjunctive: The Main Triggers

The key to knowing when to use the subjunctive lies in recognizing the trigger words and phrases that precede it. These triggers indicate a subjective or non-factual situation. Let's explore the major categories:

1. Expressions of Emotion, Doubt, or Opinion:

These phrases express the speaker's feeling or judgment about something. The subjunctive follows the main clause that expresses this feeling.

• Common Triggers:

  • Il est important que… (It is important that…)
  • Il est nécessaire que… (It is necessary that…)
  • Il est dommage que… (It is a shame that…)
  • Il est probable que… (It is probable that…)
  • Il est possible que… (It is possible that…)
  • Il est certain que… (It is certain that…)
  • Il faut que… (It is necessary that…)
  • Il est essentiel que… (It is essential that…)
  • J’espère que… (I hope that…)
  • Je doute que… (I doubt that…)
  • Je crois que… (I believe that…) – Often takes the subjunctive if expressing uncertainty or a subjective belief.
  • Je suis content(e) que… (I am happy that…)
  • Je suis surpris(e) que… (I am surprised that…)
  • Il est étrange que… (It's strange that…)

• Examples:

  • Il est important que tu étudies pour l'examen. (It is important that you study for the exam.)
  • Je doute qu'il vienne à la fête. (I doubt that he will come to the party.)
  • J'espère qu'elle soit heureuse. (I hope that she is happy.) Note the use of the present subjunctive.

2. Clauses of Purpose:

These clauses express the reason or purpose behind an action. The subjunctive often follows verbs or expressions denoting purpose.

• Common Triggers:

  • afin que… (so that…)
  • pour que… (in order that…)
  • de crainte que… (for fear that…/lest…) (Note: This often uses the negative subjunctive.)
  • de peur que… (for fear that…/lest…) (Note: This often uses the negative subjunctive.)

• Examples:

  • Elle travaille dur afin qu'elle réussisse. (She works hard so that she succeeds.)
  • J'ouvre la fenêtre pour que l'air frais entre. (I open the window so that fresh air comes in.)
  • Il a caché l'argent de peur qu'on ne le vole. (He hid the money for fear that someone might steal it.)

3. Clauses Expressing a Wish or Desire:

These clauses express the speaker's hope or desire for something.

• Common Triggers:

  • Que… (May…/That…) when expressing a wish or a request.

• Examples:

  • Que Dieu vous bénisse! (May God bless you!)
  • Que tout aille bien! (May everything go well!)

4. Clauses Following Verbs of Impersonal Expressions:

Some impersonal expressions trigger the subjunctive.

• Common Triggers:

  • Il est temps que… (It is time that…)
  • Il vaut mieux que… (It is better that…)

• Examples:

  • Il est temps que tu partes. (It is time that you leave.)
  • Il vaut mieux qu'il appelle le médecin. (It's better that he call the doctor.)

5. Clauses Following Verbs of Preventing or Avoiding:

These clauses express actions taken to prevent something from happening.

• Common Triggers:

  • empêcher que… (to prevent that…)
  • éviter que… (to avoid that…)

• Examples:

  • Elle a tout fait pour empêcher que cela n'arrive. (She did everything to prevent this from happening.)
  • J'évite de sortir pour éviter que je ne tombe malade. (I avoid going out to avoid getting sick.)

6. Relative Clauses with Indefinite Antecedents:

The subjunctive is often used in relative clauses when the antecedent is indefinite or implies uncertainty.

• Examples:

  • Il faut trouver un médecin qui puisse vous aider. (It is necessary to find a doctor who can help you.) Qui puisse expresses a necessary quality, not a known fact.
  • Cherchons quelqu'un qui sache cuisiner. (Let's find someone who knows how to cook.) The person is yet to be found, hence the subjunctive.

7. Subjunctive After Certain Verbs:

Some verbs routinely take the subjunctive in subordinate clauses, even without the presence of other trigger words. These are usually verbs that express opinion, suggestion, command, request or doubt.

• Common Verbs:

  • vouloir que… (to want that…)
  • désirer que… (to desire that…)
  • demander que… (to ask that…)
  • prier que… (to pray that…)
  • suggérer que… (to suggest that…)
  • ordonner que… (to order that…)
  • conseiller que… (to advise that…)

• Examples:

  • Je veux que tu sois là. (I want you to be there.)
  • Il demande qu'on lui donne de l'aide. (He asks that we give him help.)

The Subjunctive Conjugations: A Quick Overview

The subjunctive has two main tenses: the présent (present) and the passé (past). The past subjunctive is less frequently used than the present, so we'll focus primarily on the present. The present subjunctive conjugations are relatively consistent across verbs, although irregular verbs will have their unique patterns.

• -er verbs (regular): The present subjunctive stem is formed by taking the "nous" form of the present indicative and dropping the "-ons" ending (e.g., parler: nous parlons -> parl-).

• -ir verbs (regular): The present subjunctive stem is generally formed from the present indicative "nous" form by dropping "-issons" (e.g., finir: nous finissons -> finiss-). Some irregularities exist.

• -re verbs (regular): The present subjunctive stem usually comes from removing "-ons" from the "nous" form of the present indicative (e.g., vendre: nous vendons -> vend-).

• Irregular Verbs: These have completely unique conjugations and must be memorized. Examples include être (to be), avoir (to have), aller (to go), faire (to do/make), pouvoir (to be able to), and many more.

Distinguishing the Subjunctive from the Indicative

The difference between the subjunctive and indicative can be subtle, especially for beginners. The context is crucial. If a sentence expresses a fact or objective reality, the indicative is used. If it expresses an opinion, a desire, or a hypothetical situation, the subjunctive is typically used. Practice and exposure to the language are key to developing an intuitive understanding of this distinction.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Q: Is there a future subjunctive? A: While a formal future subjunctive existed in older French, it's practically obsolete in modern French. The indicative future or conditional is typically used instead.

• Q: How do I know which tense of the subjunctive to use? A: The choice of tense depends on the tense of the main verb. If the main verb is in the present, the present subjunctive is generally used. If the main verb is in the past, the past subjunctive might be used, although the indicative is frequently used as a simpler alternative.

• Q: Are there any exceptions to the rules? A: Yes, like any grammatical rule, there are exceptions. Experience and exposure to the language will help you identify these exceptions.

Conclusion

Mastering the French subjunctive requires time and practice, but the effort is worthwhile. By understanding the trigger words and phrases and the underlying concept of subjectivity, you can significantly improve your fluency and accuracy in French. Regular practice with example sentences and immersion in the language will help solidify your understanding and enable you to use the subjunctive confidently and naturally. Remember that even native speakers occasionally struggle with nuanced subjunctive usage; the key is to strive for understanding and improvement, not perfection. Consistent effort and exposure to authentic French will lead to fluency and mastery.