Subjunctive conjugation in French

The subjunctive mood in French is used to express doubt, uncertainty, emotion, desire, or other subjective states.

In English, we often use words like “I wish” or “If only” to introduce subjunctive sentences.

In French, the subjunctive is formed using specific conjugation patterns.

Here’s a simple explanation of how to conjugate verbs in the subjunctive for beginners:

1. Regular verbs:

For regular verbs, the subjunctive is formed by taking the third person plural form of the verb in the present tense and changing the -ent ending to -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, or -ent, depending on the subject pronoun.

2. Irregular verbs:

Some irregular verbs have a unique subjunctive form that must be memorized.

The most common irregular verbs in French include être (to be), avoir (to have), faire (to do), and aller (to go).

3. Triggers:

There are certain words and expressions that trigger the use of the subjunctive, such as “il faut que” (it is necessary that), “il est important que” (it is important that), and “il est possible que” (it is possible that).

It’s important to keep in mind that the subjunctive is used relatively infrequently in everyday conversation, but it is still a crucial aspect of the French language for expressing various shades of meaning.

So, don’t be discouraged if it takes some time to master the subjunctive, just keep practicing and you’ll get the hang of it!

©Frenchlanguagebasics.com