Some say that the subjunctive is the most difficult thing to learn in French grammar, but it’s not true. Forming the French subjunctive is the same as forming any other tense. It’s not hard, you just need to learn it. You can download a PDF of this lesson guide in my private French Grammar Library.
Knowing when to use the subjunctive is trickier than learning how to form it. The subjunctive is a mood that is used to express ideas that are subjective or uncertain.
Watch the video lesson and follow along reading the text below. I will not teach every exception in this French subjunctive lesson. Let’s keep it simple for now.
Scroll down to watch my video lesson on the French subjunctive. Take the quiz at the end of the video. See the exercise at the bottom of this page, and I’ll tell you the answers during the video.
👉 When and why do we use the subjunctive in French?
👉 How do you form the subjunctive?
👉 Examples using the subjunctive in meaningful context.
French Subjunctive Lesson
- The present French subjunctive refers to actions in the present or future.
- Use the subjunctive when the sentence contains a dependent and a main clause.
- The dependent and main clauses are connected by the word QUE.
- One of the clauses will demonstrate a WEIRDO condition.
- If what follows QUE is subjective in nature, you must use the subjunctive.
WEIRDO VERBS FOR THE FRENCH SUBJUNCTIVE
The WEIRDO acronym can help you remember which verbs trigger the use of the subjunctive when followed by QUE.
| W | Wishing / wanting |
| E | Emotion |
| I | Impersonal expressions |
| R | Request / require / recommend |
| D | Doubt / demand / deny |
| O | Opinions |
What do sentences with main and dependent clauses connected by QUE look like? Here are some examples from my video lesson (scroll down to watch it).
| Wishing / Wanting |
| Je voudrais que tu finisses tes devoirs. |
| Je voudrais means I would like, so it demonstrates wanting. |
| The Je voudrais and the tu finisses tes devoirs are connected by QUE. |
| Just because I want THAT you finish your homework doesn’t mean you’re actually going to do it. |
| Emotions |
| Je suis triste qu’elle ne vienne pas. |
| Je suis triste means I am sad, so it demonstrates an emotion. |
| The Je suis triste and the elle ne vienne pas are connected by QUE. |
| I am sad THAT she’s not coming. |
| So why use the subjunctive here? There’s not really a doubt associated with she’s not coming, but anytime you’re dealing with emotion you do have to use the subjunctive. |
| Impersonal expressions |
| Il est important que nous répondions à toutes les questions. |
| Il est important means It is important, so that’s an impersonal expression. |
| The Il est important and the nous répondions à toutes les questions are connected by QUE. |
| It is important THAT we respond to all of the questions, but just because it’s important doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to happen. Right? |
| Requests / Requirements / Recommendations |
| Je suggère que vous arriviez un peu en avance. |
| Je suggère means I suggest, so that’s a recommendation. |
| Je suggère and the vous arriviez un peu en avance are joined by QUE. |
| Just because I suggest THAT you arrive a little early doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. |
| Demands / doubts / denying |
| Il faut que je mette la table. |
| Il faut means It is necessary, so that’s a demand. |
| You can easily use Il faut followed by an infinitive and avoid the subjunctive altogether, but many times you’ll want to say Il faut que followed by another clause that begins with a subject. |
| In this example Il faut and je mette la table are joined by QUE. |
| Just because It is necessary THAT I set the table doesn’t mean I’ll do it. |
| Opinions |
| Je ne crois pas que ce soit une bonne idée. |
| Je ne crois pas means I don’t believe, so that demonstrates an Opinion. |
| The Je ne crois pas and the ce soit une bonne idée are connected by QUE. |
| Just because I don’t believe THAT it is a good idea doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not. |
Forming The Present French Subjunctive Lesson
Before doing some exercises together I will show you how to form the subjunctive. There are just a few irregular verbs to learn. As you may have guessed, the irregular verbs are the ones we use all the time.
How to form the stem / radical
- The stem is what you’ll add the subjunctive endings to.
- Take the -ENT off of the 3rd person plural form of the present tense verb
- Take a free quiz on forming the subjunctive @ LLL French Academy
| Il faut | It is necessary |
| que | that |
| It is necessary THAT we write a letter. | Il faut que nous écrivions une lettre. |
| That we write a letter | This part of the sentence needs the subjunctive. Why? Remember, just because it’s necessary doesn’t mean we’re going to do it. |
The verb «ÉCRIRE»: Present subjunctive
| How do you form the stem / radical? | 3rd person plural (indicative):Ils écrivent |
| Take the -ENT off of the 3rd person plural form of the verb. | |
| Écriv- This is your stem | |
| Now add the subjunctive endings. | |
| What are the subjunctive endings? | This is the present subjunctive of the verb écrire. The endings are in bold print: |
| que j’écrive | |
| que tu écrives | |
| qu’il écrive / qu’elle écrive / qu’on écrive | |
| que nous écrivions | |
| que vous écriviez | |
| qu’ils écrivent | |
| qu’elles écrivent |
Stem-Changing Verbs in the French Subjunctive
- Verbs that are stem changing in the present indicative are the same in the subjunctive.
- Keep the same stem in the je, tu, il / elle / on, and ils / elles forms.
- Only the nous and vous forms that will be different, and the same is true in the regular present tense.
- We will look at only 4 stem changing verbs, but know that the same rule applies to other verbs in the same category.
Boire
| Form the stem the regular way: ils boivent, take off the -ent, and it becomes boiv- Only nous and vous will have a different stem. |
| que je boive | que nous buvions |
| que tu boives | que vous buviez |
| qu’il boive / qu’elle boive / qu’on boive | qu’ils boivent / qu’elles boivent |
Envoyer
| Form the stem the regular way: Nous and vous have an irregular stem; take the -ent off of the 3rd person plural form and you have the stem envoie- |
| que j’envoie | que nous envoyions |
| que tu envoies | que vous envoyiez |
| qu’il envoie / qu’elle envoie / qu’on envoie | qu’ils envoient / qu’elles envoient |
Prendre
| Nous and vous have an irregular stem; take the -ent off of the 3rd person plural form and you have the stem prenn- |
| que je prenne | que nous prenions |
| que tu prennes | que vous preniez |
| qu’il prenne / qu’elle prenne / qu’on prenne | qu’ils prennent / qu’elles prennent |
Venir
| Nous and vous have an irregular stem; take the -ent off of the 3rd person plural form and you have the stem vienn- |
| que je vienne | que nous venions |
| que tu viennes | que vous veniez |
| qu’il vienne / qu’elle vienne / qu’on vienne | qu’ils viennent / qu’elles viennent |
Verbs with irregular stems (and regular endings)
Verbs with one stem
| faire (fass-) | pouvoir (puiss-) | savoir (sach-) |
| Que je fasse | Que je puisse | Que je sache |
| Que tu fasses | Que tu puisses | Que tu saches |
| Qu’il fasse | Qu’il puisse | Qu’on sache |
| Que nous fassions | Que nous puissions | Que nous sachions |
| Que vous fassiez | Que vous puissiez | Que vous sachiez |
| Qu’ils fassent | Qu’ils puissent | Qu’ils sachent |
Subjunctive Verbs With Two Stems
| Aller (aill- / all-) | Vouloir (veuill- / voul-) |
| Que j’aille | Que nous allions | Que je veuille | Que nous voulions |
| Que tu ailles | Que vous alliez | Que tu veuilles | Que vous vouliez |
| Qu’il aille | Qu’ils aillent | Qu’il veuille | Qu’ils veuillent |
Subjunctive Verbs With Irregular Stems And Irregular Endings
| avoir | être |
| Que j’aie | Que nous ayons | Que je sois | Que nous soyons |
| Que tu aies | Que vous ayez | Que tu sois | Que vous soyez |
| Qu’il ait | Qu’ils aient | Qu’il soit | Qu’ils soient |
Practice Forming and Using the French Subjunctive
- See the written questions below, and I’ll explain the answers in the video around the 29 minute mark.
- In the first exercise put all verbs in the present subjunctive.
- In the second exercise you will need to decide between the subjunctive and the indicative.
Exercise 1
| 1 | Il faut que tu _____ (faire) tes devoirs. | |
| 2 | Je veux qu’il _____ (partir) ce soir. | |
| 3 | Je regrette que vous _____ (être) en retard. | |
| 4 | Elle est très heureuse que nous _____ (prendre) le train. | |
| 5 | Il faut que vous _____ (dire) la vérité. | |
| 6 | Je ne pense pas qu’il _____ (avoir) raison. | |
| 7 | Je voudrais que tu _____ (apprendre) le russe. | |
| 8 | Vous ne croyez pas qu’il ____ (vouloir) nous voir? | |
| 9 | Je ne crois pas qu’ils se _____ (connaître). | |
| 10 | Il faut que vous _____ (pouvoir) le comprendre. |
Exercise 2
| 1 | Je regrette que tu ne ____ pas venir avec nous à la campagne ce week-end. a. peux b. pouvais c. puisses d. pourras | |
| 2 | Il est sûr que tu ____ le français plus vite en pratiquant tous les jours. a. apprendras b. apprennes c. appris d. apprenais | |
| 3 | Il faut que vous ____ plus d’exercice physique. a. fassiez b. faites c. ferez d. faisiez | |
| 4 | Nous sommes heureux que vous _____ à notre mariage. a. veniez b. viendrez c. viendriez d. venez | |
| 5 | Il n’est pas certain que ce projet _____ une excellente opportunité pour nous. a. était b. sera c. est d. soit | |
| 6 | Je veux que mon fils _____ plus soin de ses affaires. a. prenne b. prend c. prendra d. prenait | |
| 7 | Le professeur exige que son élève ____ à l’examen. a. réussit b. réussisse c. réussira d. réussissait | |
| 8 | Il ne me semble pas que tu ____ ta leçon par coeur. Tu dois encore réviser. a. savais b. sais c. saches d. sauras | |
| 9 | Elle espère que tu _____ plus performant si tu acceptes de suivre cette formation. a. sois b. étais c. seras d. as été | |
| 10 | Je ne pense pas qu’il ____ tort. a. avait b. a c. ait d. aura |
French Subjunctive Lesson Video
