Frenchvita

The use of the subjunctive tenses

As we have seen before the subjunctive tenses are used to describe feeling, emotions and moods not necessarily linked to facts and reality.

In general the subjunctive is used after some expressions, conjunctions and verbs.

With the subjunctive we generally have two clauses with each having a different subject. If you have the same subject you tend to use the infinitive:

• Nous souhaitons qu’il parte en France.
• We wish that he would leave for France

The first subject is 'nous' with the verb 'souhaiter' and 'il' is the second subject with the verb 'partir'

• Nous souhaitons passer les vacances en France.
• We wish to spend the holidays in France.

'Nous' is the subject for the verbs 'souhaiter' and 'passer'.

Subject’s view; In general it is the subject of the main clause which views the events taking place in the subordinate clause with a degree of personal interpretation:

The subject views an event to be more “likely or unlikely” to happen.

• Il ne croit pas qu’il soit venu pour fêter son anniversaire.
• He doesn’t believe he came for his birthday.

This is about the subject “il” and the interpretation of events instead of the likeliness of the events to take place.

• Il croit qu’il viendra (future indicative)

In this case it is the event and its likeliness to take place which is emphasized, not the subject’s reaction.

It all comes down to which notions are emphasized. Whether or not an event is likely to happen versus the subject’s reaction and interpretation of an event and its likeliness to happen.

Note that in the case of likeliness very often the negative and interrogative forms take the subjunctive:

• Elle croit qu’il viendra demain. (Future indicative)
• Elle ne croit pas qu’il vienne demain. (Present subjunctive)

This notion of likeliness or “unlikeliness” is introduced by certain verbs such as:

• Je crois que - I believe that
• Je pense que - I think that
• Je suppose que - I suppose that
• Il est certain que - It is certain that
• Il est probable que -It is probable that

Most of the time in the affirmative form these verbs are followed by the indicative in the subordinate clauses:

• Je suppose qu’il est venu.
• Il est probable que Martine viendra avec lui.

In the negative forms the subjunctive is used:

• Je ne suppose pas qu’il soit venu.
• Il est peu probable que Martine vienne avec lui.

The subject’s personal perceptions, feelings and attitudes towards an event

• J’ai peur qu’il soit parti – I’m afraid that he might have left
• Je regrette qu’elle ne puisse pas venir – I regret that she cannot come
• Pierre aimerait qu’elle vienne avec lui en discothèque. – Pierre would like her to come with him to the disco.

• Pay attention to the next two examples:
• La chose la plus importante pour eux est qu’il soit en vie. – The most important thing for them is that he is alive.
• La chose la plus importante pour eux est qu’il est en vie. – The most important thing for them is that he is alive.

In the first example it is the feeling of 'them' which is emphasized not the fact that he is alive. In the second example it is the reality of him being alive.

You often hear in France people saying when they talk about a newly born: “L’essentiel c’est qu’il/elle soit en bonne santé”. The most important thing is that he/she is in good health.

In this case, the baby is as a fact in good health but it is the perception of wanting the baby to be in good health which is pointed at.

The subject’s presentation of events linked to hypothetical conditions

Most of the time we use the conditional mood :

• Si j’étais riche, je vivrais à Monte-Carlo

but certain expressions call for the use of the subjunctive.

• Je partirai en vacances avec toi à moins que tu veuilles amener ton copain. (I will take a holiday with you unless you wish to bring your friend)
• Je passerai mes vacances avec toi à condition que mon copain vienne. (I will spend my holidays with you on one condition, that you bring your friend)

The hypothetical condition can also be related to vagueness and time constraints.

“Avant que” (before that) and “jusqu’à ce que” (until that) call for the subjunctive as well.

• Avant qu’il (ne) parte en vacances, il doit finir son travail.
• Before he goes on holiday he must finish his work.

• Jusqu’ à ce qu’il finisse son travail il ne pourra pas partir en vacances.
• Until he finishes his work he won’t be able to go on holiday.

The notion of vagueness and hypothesis can also be found with expressions such as; “Quoi que” and "quel/quells/quelle/quelles que” – which, whatever, and call for the use of the subjunctive.

• Quoique je fasse, je ne peux pas le convaincre de venir avec nous.
• Whatever I do, I cannot convince him to come with us.

• Quels que soient mes problèmes, j’essaie de les résoudre.
• Whatever my problems may be, I try to solve them.

To cover the different notions of likeliness, personal attitudes towards an event, hypothesis and vagueness I am giving you a list of verbs, expressions and conjunctions which in general call for the use of the subjunctive.

In these cases you do not always need to understand why the use of the subjunctive is essential but you will know that after them you need to use this mood.

Personal feelings, expectations, regrets, fears and state of the subject’s emotion linked to the event:

Aimer que	to wish that
Attendre que	to wait for
S’attendre à ce que	to expect that
Avoir envie que	to feel like
Etre content que	to be happy that
Craindre que	to fear that
Demander que	to ask that
Désirer que	to wish that
Etre désolé	to be sorry that
Etre dommage que	to be a pity that
Douter que	to doubt that
S’étonner que	to be surprised that
Exiger que	to require that
Etre heureux que	to be happy that
Ordonner que	to order that
Avoir peur que	to be afraid that
Préférer que	to prefer that
Etre ravi que	to be delighted that
Regretter que	to regret that
Souhaiter que	to wish that
Etre triste que	to be sad that
Vouloir que	to want that

Some impersonal constructions expressing feelings or attitudes call for the subjunctive as well:

Il faut que	“it must be that” it is necessary that
Il est important que	it is important that
Il est nécessaire que	it is necessary that
Il est regrettable que	it is regrettable that
Il sembe que	it seems that
Il est temps que	it’s time that
Il vaut mieux que	it is better that

Exercise: Fill the gap with the subjunctive

Verbs which call for the subjunctive in negative and question forms:

These verbs relate to notions of saying, thinking and believing

Affirmer que	to state that
Croire que	to believe that
Déclarer que	to declare that
Imaginer que	to imagine that
Penser que	to think that
Trouver que	to find that

Example:

• Je trouve qu’il a changé
• I find that he has changed

• Je ne trouve pas qu’il ait changé
• I don’t find that he has changed

• Ne trouves-tu pas qu’il ait changé?
• Don’t you think that he has changed?

Verbs expressing that an event is unlikely as opposed to probable: These types of notions are generally expressed by impersonal verbs.

Il n’est pas certain que	It is not certain that
Il est douteux que	It is doubtful that
Il est impossible que	It is impossible that
Il est invraisembable que	It is unbelievable that
Il se peut que	'It can be that' it is possible that
Il est peu probable que	It is unlikely that
Il n’est pas sûr que	It is not sure that
Il n’est pas vrai que	It is not sure that

Be careful how you use these expressions:

• Il est certain que nous arriverons à temps
• It is certain that we will arrive on time.

• Il n’est pas certain que nous arrivions à temps
• It is not certain that we will arrive on time.

Exercise: Use the right mood and tense

Subjunctive after some conjunctions:

Afin que	in order to
Pour que
En attendant que	while waiting for
Ce n’est pas que	not that
A moins que	unless that
Supposé que	suppose that
En supposant que
En admettant que
Bien que	although that
Quoique
Malgré que
De façon que	so that, in such a way that
De manière que
De sorte que
Si bien que
De peur que	- for fear that
De crainte que
Pourvu que	- provided/providing that
A condition que
Sans que	without (Note that in English without is followed by the gerund
Soit que	whether
Tel que	such as

Exercise: Fill the gaps

Special cases:

1. Adjectives

Generally when we use the superlatives, such as,  the biggest, best, worst, and adjectives which qualify the uniqueness of an entity we also have the subjunctive.

• Cet homme est le plus gros que j’aie jamais vu
• This man is the biggest I have ever seen.

• C’est la seule femme qui puisse le calmer
• She is the only woman who can calm him down.

• Je ne connais personne qui sache parler aussi bien l’anglais
• I don’t know anyone who can speak better English.

2. Clauses linked to hypothetical notions coordinated by “et que” 

• Si tu arrives demain et qu’elle veuille te rencontrer, alors je vous présenterai
• If you arrive tomorrow and if she wants to meet you, then I’ll introduce you.

3. Subjunctive as a subject clause

• Qu’il soit en retard ou non n’a pas d’importance
• Whether or not he is late is not important.

Now we've covered all the important aspects of the subjunctive it's time to take a look at the next mood other than the indicative: The Imperative