Day 20: Expressing Wishes and Doubts – The Mysterious Subjonctif in French

Today, I took on one of the more mysterious aspects of French grammar: the subjonctif. I’d heard it whispered about as one of the trickier tenses, and after exploring it, I can confirm that it’s a bit elusive—but also incredibly useful for expressing feelings, wishes, doubts, and emotions. While it’s not as straightforward as the tenses I’ve learned so far, the subjonctif has a certain elegance that makes it essential for more nuanced conversations. So, let’s dive in!

What Is the Subjonctif?

The subjonctif is a mood, not a tense, and it’s used to express uncertainty, doubt, emotion, desire, or something that’s not yet a reality. Unlike the indicative mood, which deals with facts and certainty, the subjonctif lives in the world of the unknown, hypothetical, or wished-for.

It’s most commonly found after expressions like:

  • Il faut que… (It is necessary that…)
  • Je veux que… (I want [someone] to…)
  • Il est important que… (It’s important that…)
  • Je doute que… (I doubt that…)
  • Je souhaite que… (I wish that…)

For example:

  • Il faut que tu viennes. (You must come.)
  • Je veux que tu sois heureux. (I want you to be happy.)
  • Je doute qu’il soit à la maison. (I doubt that he’s at home.)

Forming the Subjonctif

Forming the subjonctif is similar to conjugating in the present tense, but with a few key differences. Here’s the basic formula:

  1. Take the third-person plural (ils/elles) form of the verb in the present tense.
  2. Drop the -ent ending.
  3. Add the following endings:
    • Je -e
    • Tu -es
    • Il/Elle/On -e
    • Nous -ions
    • Vous -iez
    • Ils/Elles -ent

For example, with the verb parler (to speak):

  • Que je parle (that I speak)
  • Que tu parles (that you speak)
  • Qu’il/elle parle (that he/she speaks)
  • Que nous parlions (that we speak)
  • Que vous parliez (that you speak)
  • Qu’ils/elles parlent (that they speak)

For finir (to finish):

  • Que je finisse (that I finish)
  • Que tu finisses (that you finish)
  • Qu’il/elle finisse (that he/she finishes)
  • Que nous finissions (that we finish)
  • Que vous finissiez (that you finish)
  • Qu’ils/elles finissent (that they finish)

Irregular Verbs in the Subjonctif

Of course, there are irregular verbs in the subjonctif, because this is French, after all! Here are some common ones:

  • Être (to be):
    • Que je sois (that I am)
    • Que tu sois (that you are)
    • Qu’il/elle soit (that he/she is)
    • Que nous soyons (that we are)
    • Que vous soyez (that you are)
    • Qu’ils/elles soient (that they are)
  • Avoir (to have):
    • Que j’aie (that I have)
    • Que tu aies (that you have)
    • Qu’il/elle ait (that he/she has)
    • Que nous ayons (that we have)
    • Que vous ayez (that you have)
    • Qu’ils/elles aient (that they have)
  • Faire (to do/make):
    • Que je fasse (that I do)
    • Que tu fasses (that you do)
    • Qu’il/elle fasse (that he/she does)
    • Que nous fassions (that we do)
    • Que vous fassiez (that you do)
    • Qu’ils/elles fassent (that they do)

These irregular forms are worth memorizing since they appear frequently in everyday speech.

When to Use the Subjonctif

The subjonctif often follows verbs and expressions that express doubt, necessity, emotion, or desire. Here are a few common examples:

  • Il est possible que… (It’s possible that…)
    • Il est possible qu’il pleuve demain. (It’s possible that it will rain tomorrow.)
  • Je veux que… (I want [someone] to…)
    • Je veux que tu réussisses à l’examen. (I want you to pass the exam.)
  • Il est important que… (It’s important that…)
    • Il est important que nous soyons à l’heure. (It’s important that we are on time.)
  • Bien que… (Although…)
    • Bien qu’il fasse froid, nous allons sortir. (Although it’s cold, we’re going out.)

The subjonctif adds a layer of nuance to these sentences, showing that the action isn’t guaranteed or factual—it’s desired, doubtful, or uncertain.

Vocabulary for the Day:

  • Le doute (doubt)
  • Une émotion (emotion)
  • Un souhait (a wish)
  • La certitude (certainty)
  • Le besoin (need)
  • Important / Importante (important)

Practice in Action: Wishing and Hoping

To practice, I came up with a few sentences using the subjonctif to express hopes and wishes:

Je veux que tu réussisses dans tout ce que tu fais.
(I want you to succeed in everything you do.)

Il faut que nous fassions un effort pour apprendre plus chaque jour.
(We must make an effort to learn more each day.)

Or something a bit more casual:

J’espère que tu viennes demain.
(I hope you come tomorrow.)

It felt empowering to express wishes and doubts in a way that went beyond simple statements. The subjonctif gives me a way to talk about things that aren’t set in stone—and let’s face it, life is full of uncertainties!

A Little Humor: The Wishful French Student

While practicing the subjonctif, I joked to myself:

Il faut que je devienne un expert en français… et vite!
(I must become an expert in French… and quickly!)

If only the subjonctif could make wishes come true instantly!

Common Mistakes:

  1. Using the indicatif instead of the subjonctif: It’s easy to slip back into the indicatif when you should use the subjonctif. Just remember that the subjonctif often follows expressions of doubt, emotion, or desire.
  2. Forgetting irregular forms: Irregular verbs like être and avoir are tricky in the subjonctif, so it’s worth practicing these separately to get them right.
  3. Not using the subjonctif with negative or uncertain phrases: In sentences like Je doute que… (I doubt that), the subjonctif is necessary because the outcome is uncertain.

Tomorrow, I’ll dive into more advanced sentence structures to connect ideas smoothly. À demain!

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