B1Unit 6 of the B1 course · « Le subjonctif »
The subjonctif scares many learners, but its recipe is simple and most of its uses follow a few patterns: necessity (il faut que), wishes, doubts and feelings. This page takes it one step at a time.
By the end of this unit you can: express wishes, doubts and feelings.
The subjonctif is a verb form used after que when the sentence expresses necessity, a wish, a feeling or a doubt, rather than a plain fact. The most common trigger is il faut que: « it's necessary that… ». It's almost always introduced by que.
Take the ils form of the present, drop -ent, and add -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent. For nous and vous, the subjonctif looks just like the imparfait.
The verbs you use most are the ones that break the rule. Être and avoir are fully irregular. Faire, pouvoir and savoir have one new stem for every person. Aller and vouloir have a new stem except for nous and vous.
Que j'aie sounds like j'ai, but it's spelt with -ie. Que tu aies, qu'il ait, qu'ils aient all sound the same too. And there's never an i after the y: que nous ayons, que nous soyons.
When you want something for yourself, use an infinitive: je veux partir. When you want someone else to do something, use que + subjonctif: je veux que tu partes. French never says « je veux toi partir ».
Feelings about what someone else does also take the subjonctif: je suis content que, j'ai peur que, c'est dommage que, je regrette que. The big exception is espérer: j'espère que is followed by the ordinary indicative.
When you say what you think or know, use the indicative: je pense que, je crois que, je suis sûr que. As soon as you add doubt, with a negative or with douter, switch to the subjonctif: je ne pense pas que, je doute que.
Possibility is a kind of doubt, so il est possible que and il se peut que take the subjonctif. Il se peut que is very common in weather forecasts and plans that might change.
Aminata is leaving Dakar tomorrow to start a master's degree in Brussels. The night before, her mother sits down with her for a last chat, full of advice and worries. Listen and answer.
Tap 🔊 to hear each one, recorded by a native-sounding French voice.
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| il faut que…Il faut que je parle à mon chef. (I have to talk to my boss.) | … have to / it's necessary that…Always followed by the subjonctif. Il faut que tu partes = you have to leave. | |
| il ne faut pas que…Il ne faut pas que vous partiez sans moi. (You mustn't leave without me.) | … mustn'tNot « don't have to »: il ne faut pas que tu partes means you mustn't leave. | |
| que je parle | (that) I speakFor -er verbs, je, tu, il and ils sound just like the present. | |
| que je finisse | (that) I finishFrom ils finissent: drop -ent, add -e. | |
| que je parte | (that) I leaveFrom ils partent. You hear the t, unlike je pars. | |
| que j'attende | (that) I waitFrom ils attendent. You hear the d, unlike j'attends. | |
| que je prenne | (that) I takeTwo stems: que je prenne (from ils prennent) but que nous prenions (from nous prenions in the imparfait). | |
| que je vienne | (that) I comeTwo stems: que je vienne, but que nous venions. |
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| que je soisIl faut que je sois à l'heure. (I have to be on time.) | (that) I beÊtre: sois, sois, soit, soyons, soyez, soient. | |
| que nous soyons | (that) we beNo i after the y: soyons, soyez. | |
| que j'aieIl faut que j'aie mon passeport. (I need to have my passport.) | (that) I haveAvoir: aie, aies, ait, ayons, ayez, aient. Que j'aie sounds exactly like j'ai. | |
| que j'aille | (that) I goAller: aille, ailles, aille, allions, alliez, aillent. Say « aye ». | |
| que je fasse | (that) I do / makeFaire: fasse, fasses, fasse, fassions, fassiez, fassent. | |
| que je puisse | (that) I can / be able toPouvoir: puisse, puisses, puisse, puissions, puissiez, puissent. | |
| que je sache | (that) I knowSavoir: sache, saches, sache, sachions, sachiez, sachent. Also a fixed phrase: pas que je sache = not as far as I know. | |
| que je veuille | (that) I wantVouloir: veuille, veuilles, veuille, but voulions, vouliez, then veuillent. |
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je veux que…Je veux que tu viennes avec moi. (I want you to come with me.) | I want (someone) to…English says « I want you to come »; French says « I want that you come »: je veux que tu viennes. | |
| je voudrais que…Je voudrais que vous m'expliquiez le problème. (I'd like you to explain the problem to me.) | I'd like (someone) to… | |
| je souhaite que… | I wish that… / I hope that…A little formal. Often in good wishes: je souhaite que tout se passe bien. | |
| j'espère que…J'espère que tu vas bien. (I hope you're well.) | I hope that…The trap: espérer is followed by the indicative, not the subjonctif. | |
| je suis content(e) que…Je suis contente que tu sois là. (I'm glad you're here.) | I'm glad that… | |
| j'ai peur que… | I'm afraid that…In careful French you may hear an extra ne with no negative meaning: j'ai peur qu'il ne pleuve. | |
| c'est dommage que…C'est dommage que tu ne puisses pas venir. (It's a shame you can't come.) | it's a shame that… | |
| je regrette que… | I'm sorry that… / I regret that… |
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je ne pense pas que…Je ne pense pas qu'il soit malade. (I don't think he's ill.) | I don't think that…Followed by the subjonctif: now there's doubt. | |
| je ne crois pas que… | I don't believe that… / I don't think that…Subjonctif, like je ne pense pas que. | |
| je doute que…Je doute qu'elle ait le temps. (I doubt she has the time.) | I doubt that… | |
| je suis sûr(e) que… | I'm sure that…Certainty, so the indicative. | |
| il est possible que… | it's possible that…Possibility is uncertain, so the subjonctif. | |
| il se peut que…Il se peut qu'il pleuve ce soir. (It might rain tonight.) | it may be that… / … might |
This unit is part of French Ultimate's B1 course: 5 short lessons with an animated video each, speaking and listening practice, a reading and an end-of-unit test.
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