The French subjunctive: when to use it and how to form it
By Thierry Gustin
Published
Updated
4 min read
Contents
The French subjunctive has a frightening reputation for English speakers, mainly because modern English has almost lost it: apart from fixed phrases like "if I were you" or "it is essential that he be informed", English expresses the same ideas with an infinitive or a modal verb. The challenge is therefore twofold: learning which expressions trigger the subjunctive, and resisting the English reflex of using an infinitive where French needs que + subjunctive.
How do you form the present subjunctive?
For almost all verbs, take the ils form of the present indicative, remove -ent and add the endings -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent.
| Person | Parler (ils parlent) | Finir (ils finissent) | Prendre (ils prennent) |
|---|---|---|---|
| que je | parle | finisse | prenne |
| que tu | parles | finisses | prennes |
| qu'il / elle | parle | finisse | prenne |
| que nous | parlions | finissions | prenions |
| que vous | parliez | finissiez | preniez |
| qu'ils / elles | parlent | finissent | prennent |
Note that the nous and vous forms are the same as the imparfait (que nous parlions). And the subjunctive is almost always preceded by que.
The irregular subjunctives you need to know
| Verb | Subjunctive | Verb | Subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|
| être | que je sois, que nous soyons | aller | que j'aille, que nous allions |
| avoir | que j'aie, que nous ayons | vouloir | que je veuille, que nous voulions |
| faire | que je fasse | pouvoir | que je puisse |
| savoir | que je sache | falloir | qu'il faille |
When is the subjunctive required in French?
The subjunctive appears in a subordinate clause introduced by que when the main clause expresses:
- Obligation or necessity: Il faut que tu viennes. (You have to come.)
- Wish or will: Je veux que tu sois là. (I want you to be there.)
- Feeling: Je suis content que vous soyez venus. (I am glad you came.)
- Doubt or possibility: Je doute qu'il puisse venir. (I doubt he can come.) Il est possible qu'il pleuve. (It may rain.)
- Judgement: Il est important que tout le monde comprenne. (It is important that everyone understands.)
It also follows certain conjunctions: bien que (although), pour que (so that), avant que (before), à condition que (provided that), sans que (without), jusqu'à ce que (until).
When is the subjunctive not used?
Once learners discover the subjunctive, they sometimes use it too often. These are the classic cases where French uses the indicative:
- After quand for the future: English says "When you arrive, call me" with a present tense, but French uses the future indicative: ✓ Quand tu arriveras, appelle-moi (never the subjunctive, and not the present either).
- After espérer: "I hope you will come" → ✓ J'espère que tu viendras (indicative).
- After après que: ✓ Après qu'il est parti… (indicative, although many French speakers use the subjunctive by analogy with avant que).
- With penser, croire, trouver in the affirmative: ✓ Je pense qu'il a raison. (I think he is right.) The subjunctive appears only in the negative or in a question: Je ne pense pas qu'il ait raison.
- After si: the subjunctive never follows si. "If I had time" → ✓ Si j'avais le temps (imparfait).
What if both subjects are the same person?
When the subject of both clauses is the same, French uses the infinitive, just like English: Je veux partir (I want to leave), not je veux que je parte. The same goes for avant de: Appelle-moi avant de partir. (Call me before you leave.)
Are the imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive used?
Almost never. They exist in literary language (qu'il fût, qu'il eût été), but in today's French, spoken and written, they are replaced by the present or past subjunctive: Je voulais qu'il vienne (I wanted him to come). In practice, you only need two forms, which saves you a lot of work. If you are curious, the Trésor de la langue française on the CNRTL site gives the definition and uses of the mood.
For the DELF B2 and the DALF C1, the subjunctive is a marker of level: use it correctly after bien que, il faut que or je doute que, but do not force it where it does not belong. I also explain this in the DELF B2 guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does "espérer que" take the subjunctive in French?
No. In the affirmative, espérer que takes the indicative: J'espère que tu vas bien. (I hope you are well.) It is one of the most frequent mistakes.
Does "quand" take the subjunctive?
No, never. For the future, French uses the future indicative, where English uses the present: Quand je serai grand… (When I grow up…)
How do you form the past subjunctive?
With the subjunctive of avoir or être plus the past participle: que j'aie fini, qu'elle soit partie. It is used for an earlier action: Je suis content que tu aies réussi. (I am glad you succeeded.)
Does "bien que" always take the subjunctive?
Yes: Bien qu'il soit tard, je continue. (Although it is late, I am carrying on.) Its synonym même si takes the indicative: Même s'il est tard…
If the subjunctive is giving you trouble, it is one of the points we work on with personalised examples in my private online French lessons.
Read next
Passé composé vs imparfait: when to use each one
When to use the passé composé or the imparfait in French: a simple rule, clear examples and the typical mistakes English speakers make.
The French pronouns y and en: when to use each one
When to use the French pronouns y and en: what they replace, where they go and the mistakes English speakers make, with examples and an exercise.
French articles: definite, indefinite and partitive
Le, la, les, un, une, des, du, de la: how to use French articles, when to use the partitive and the typical mistakes English speakers make, with examples.