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11. Offering Advice: The Subjunctive
11.1 The Formation of the Subjunctive 11.2 How to Use the Subjunctive (Common Expressions and Structures)
11.3 Subjunctive vs Infinitive 11.4 Subjunctive vs Indicative
11.1 The Formation of the Subjunctive
The teacher asks the students to give each other recommendations about what to do or not to do, depending on the season: En hiver, il est important que tu portes des vêtements chauds.
En été, il est essentiel que vous mettiez de la crème solaire (sunscreen).
Unlike the present indicative (présent de l’indicatif), that you use to express a fact, the subjunctive indicative (présent du subjonctif) is used when you are not referring to objective facts, but when you are expressing a wish, a recommendation, a regret, etc. En hiver, il est important que tu portes des vêtements chauds.
All regular -ER, -IR and -RE verbs, as well as many irregular verbs, follow the same pattern: (1) You start with the present-tense ils/elles conjugaison of the verb. (2) You drop the ‘-ent’ ending. (3) You add the appropriate subjunctive ending:
Je -E
Tu -ESIl/Elle/On -E
Nous -IONSVous -IEZ
Ils/Elles -ENT
Example with the verb porter (‘to wear’)
Ils/Elles portent port— tu portes
Example with the verb mettre (‘to put on’)
Ils/Elles mettent mett— vous mettiez
As we have seen, some verbs have a stem specific to nous and vous at the present.
Here is a reminder with the verb boire (‘to drink’) conjugated at the present:
Je bois Nous buvons
Tu bois Vous buvez
Il/Elle/On boit
Ils/Elles boivent
These verbs will also keep two stems at the subjunctive:
Il faut que tu boives beaucoup d’eau en été.
Il est important que vous buviez beaucoup d’eau en été.
Common verbs with two stems, like boire:Verb
(infinitive) Stems Verb (infinitive) Stems
Croire (to believe)
Croi- Croy-
Comprendre (to understand)
Comprenn- Compren-
Voir (to see)
Voi- Voy-
Venir (to come)
Vienn- Ven-
Recevoir (to receive/get)
Reç- Recev-
Devenir (to become)
Devienn- Deven-
Prendre (to take)
Prenn- Pren-
Apprendre (to learn)
Apprenn- Apren-
Common verbs with two stems, like boire:
Verb (infinitive) Stems Verb
(infinitive) Stems
Devoir (to have to)
Doiv- Dev-
Acheter (to buy)
Achèt- Achet-
Payer (to pay)
Pai- Pay-
Appeler (to call)
Appell- Appel-
Here are some more recommendations students made regarding weather:
Il faut que tu sois prudent sit tu conduis (drive) en hiver.
Il faut que vous fassiez attention à ne pas vous enrhumer (to catch a cold) en automne.
There is only a limited number of verbs that are completely irregular at the subjunctive.
Aller Avoir Être FaireJ’aille J’aie Je sois Je fasse
Tu ailles Tu aies Tu sois Tu fasses
Il/Elle/On aille Il/Elle/On ait Il/Elle/On soit Il/Elle/On fasse
Nous allions Nous ayons Nous soyons Nous fassionsVous alliez Vous ayez Vous soyez Vous fassiez
Ils/Elles aillent Ils/Elles aient Ils/Elles
soient Ils/Elles fassent
Savoir Pouvoir Vouloir Falloir (to have to)
Je sache Je puisse Je veuilleTu saches Tu puisses Tu veuillesIl/Elle/On
sacheIl/Elle/On
puisseIl/Elle/On
veuille Il faille
Nous sachions
Nous puissions
Nous voulions
Vous sachiez
Vous puissiez Vous vouliez
Ils/Elles sachent
Ils/Elles puissent
Ils/Elles veuillent
11.2 How to Use the Subjunctive (Common Expressions and Structures)
The Legendre have decided to go on a cruise for the summer holiday. They are reading some of the recommendations from the brochure:
Il est nécessaire que vous preniez de la crème solaire.
Il faut que vous buviez beaucoup d’eau.
Il est important que vous passiez du temps à l’ombre (in the shade).
The table below provide you with some of the most common expressions that require the subjunctive:
Il est important que
It is important that Vouloir que To want that
Il est nécessaire que
It is necessary that Espérer que To wish that
Il faut que To have to Demander que To ask that
Il est essentiel que
It is essential that Douter que To doubt that
Souhaiter/désirer que To wish that Il se peut que It may be that
Il est possible que
It is possible that
Il est probable que
It is probable that
General rules:
(1) To use the subjunctive you always need to have 2 different subjects!
Je souhaite que vous fassiez vos devoirs.
(2) You will use the appropriate expression followed by the verb at the subjunctive:
Il se peut que nous allions à un concert ce soir.
(3) A verb or expression that requires the subjunctive will always end with que.
Je doute que tu puisses arriver à l’heure (on time).
Il faut que nous partions à 6h du matin pour aller à la gare (train station).
11.3 Subjunctive vs Infinitive
Some sentences that would normally require the subjunctive will use the infinitive instead.
Here are the most common cases where the infinitive would be used instead of the subjunctive:
(1) If there is only one subject:
You won’t translate ‘I want to go to the theater’ by Je veux que j’aille au cinéma
When there is only one subject in the sentence, the subjunctive is replaced by the infinitive:
Je veux aller au cinéma.
(2) If you are giving an advice using the construction:
Il est + adjective + de
Il est bon de faire du sport régulièrement (‘It is good to exercise regularly’).
Il est important de dormir au moins 7 heures chaque nuit (‘It is important to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night’).
11.4 Subjunctive vs Indicative
Some verbs/expressions require the indicative instead of the subjunctive, even if there are 2 subjects in the sentence.
The following table provides you with the most common expressions/verbs that require the indicative instead of the infinitive:
Je sais que I know that Je suis sûr(e) que I am sure that
Je vois que I can see that Il est certain que
It is certain that
Je pense que I think that Il est évident que
It is obvious that
Je crois que I believe that Il est vrai que It is true that
J’espère que I hope thatJe suis
convaincu(e) que
I am convinced
that
When used in a negation or, more particularly, in a question, je pense que and je crois que take the subjunctive:
Je crois que tu as tort (‘I think that you are wrong’). Used in a statement, takes the present indicative.
Je ne crois pas que tu aies raison (‘I don’t think that you are right’) Used in a negation, takes the subjunctive.