1. 5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
THE FRENCH
SUBJUNCTIVE

2. This learning guide is divided into different
parts with a quick recap after each topic.
1)
WHAT IS THE FRENCH SUBJUNCTIVE?
2)
ITS ENGLISH COUNTERPART
3)
WHERE AND WHEN TO USE IT
4)
HOW TO FORM THE SUBJUNCTIVE?
5)
THE IRREGULARS

3. 1. WHAT IS THE FRENCH SUBJUNCTIVE?
The subjunctive is a grammatical mood.
The subjunctive is used to express varied states of unreality or uncertainty
like some kind of judgment, wish, possibility, opinion, doubt, emotion, or
something that has not occurred yet.
A quick recap of the first topic:
1. Use this formula  Subjectivity + Unreality
2. No future tense usage of the subjunctive, only past and present. If it is
set to happen in the future, the present tense is being used.
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4. 2. ITS ENGLISH COUNTERPART
English subjunctive is not as often used as in French, but we use it in
everyday modern English.
The subjunctive often appears in subordinate clauses especially thatclauses.
Examples:
• If I were you,
• It is important that you stop to read the signs
• Is it really necessary that we stop to read each and every sign?”
• He suggested that you continue with your noble path.
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5. 3. WHERE AND WHEN TO USE IT
In French, we use the subjunctive after certain words and conjunctions that
have two parts and two different subjects.
A quick recap of the first topic:
1. The subjunctives usually appear after the following verbs:
• wishing something
• fearing something
• giving opinion
• saying how you feel:
 regretter que (meaning to be sorry that)
 être content que (meaning to be pleased that)
 être surpris que (meaning to be surprised that)
 etc.
2. The subjunctives may also appear in some expressions that begin with il.
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6. 4. HOW TO FORM THE SUBJUNCTIVE?
The most important rules for you to take note of are the
following:
1. Verbs that end with –er :
infinitive less –er plus correct ending
2. Verbs that end with –ir :
infinitive less –ir plus correct ending
3.
Verbs that end with –re :
infinitive less –re plus correct ending
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7. 5. THE IRREGULARS
Irregular verbs in the subjunctive:
VERB
MEANING
JE
TU
aller
to go
aille
ailles
avoir
to have
aie
aies
devoir
to have to, must
doive
doives
dire
to say, to tell
dise
dises
être
to be
sois
sois
faire
to do, to make
fasse
fasses
pouvoir
to be able to, can
puisse
puisses
prendre
to take
prenne
prennes
savoir
to know
sache
saches
venir
to come
vienne
viennes
vouloir
to want to
veuille
veullles
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8. 5. THE IRREGULARS (CONTINUED)
Irregular verbs in the subjunctive (continued):
IL/ELLE/ON
NOUS
VOUS
ILS/ELLES
aille
allions
alliez
aillent
ait
ayons
ayez
aient
doive
devions
deviez
doivent
dise
dlsions
disiez
disent
soit
soyons
soyez
soyent
fasse
fassions
fassiez
fassent
puisse
puissions
puissiez
puissent
prenne
prenions
preniez
prennent
sache
sachions
sache
sachent
vienne
venions
veniez
viennent
veuille
voulions
voullez
veuillent
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9. A quick recap of this topic:
1. The subjunctive is used to express varied states of
unreality or uncertainty like some kind of judgment, wish,
possibility, opinion, doubt, emotion, or something that has
not occurred yet.
2. The subjunctive appears after certain words and
conjunctions that have two parts and two different
subjects. It is also found after expressions that start with il.
3. The verb stem for the subjunctive is the same as the stem
for present tense.
4. Verbs that end in -er and -ir have the same endings: -e, es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent.
5. Verbs that end in -ir have the following endings in the
subjunctive mood: -isse, -isses, -isse, -issions, -issiez, issent.
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