Module 15- La planète
Troisième partie : Espoir pour l’avenir, la grammaire
In this section:
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Subjunctive usage: obligation
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Subjunctive usage: doubt and uncertainty
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Subjunctive usage: will, emotion, and desire
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Conjunctions that take the subjunctive
Subjunctive usage: obligation
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Max, il faut que tu aides ta sœur !
Il faut que nous fassions le ménage.
Note that the expression il faut que is stronger and more emphatic than the verb ‘devoir’ (which is followed by an infinitive): Nous devons faire le ménage. (We must/are supposed to clean.)
Below are other common impersonal expressions of obligation and necessity. Note that they are all followed by the conjunction que which introduces a subordinate clause with a verb in the subjunctive:
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Subjunctive usage: doubt and uncertainty
The choice of mood indicates the speaker’s degree of uncertainty: subjunctive implies the speaker doubts the existence or possibility of what is being described; indicative implies the speaker believes or is certain that what is being described is possible or does exist.
expressions of doubt and uncertainty
The subjunctive occurs in dependent clauses introduced by verbs and expressions of doubt or uncertainty whenever there are two different subjects in the two clauses linked by the subordinating conjunction que.
| il est possible que, it is possible that |
| il est impossible que, it is impossible that |
| il est incroyable que, it is unbelievable that |
| il est douteux que, it is doubtful that |
| douter que, to doubt that |
| Où est Edouard? Chez MacDo? | Where is Edouard? At MacDonald’s? | |
| Oh non! Il est impossible qu‘Edouard soit chez MacDo! | Oh no! It is impossible that Edouard be at MacDonald’s! |
interrogatives and negatives
Doubt is commonly expressed by questioning or negating a statement.
| Crois-tu que Maximilien soit chez MacDo? | Do you believe that Maximilien is at MacDonald’s? | |
| Oui, je crois qu’il est chez MacDo. | I believe he is at MacDonald’s. | |
| Mais Edouard? Non, je ne crois pas qu‘Edouard soit chez MacDo. | But Edouard? No, I don’t believe that Edouard is at MacDonald’s. |
The following expressions imply certainty, so when they are used in affirmative statements, they are followed by the indicative.
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However, when these expressions are used in either the interrogative or the negative, doubt is introduced. Consequently, in the subordinate clause, the subjunctive is used. On the other hand, when expressions of doubt are negated, they indicate certainty and thus are followed by the indicative: Je ne doute pas qu’Edouard est un escargot distingué (I do not doubt that Edouard is a distinguished snail = I am certain that …).
Subjunctive usage: will, emotion, and desire
will and desire
The subjunctive is used in dependent clauses after expressions of will and desire whenever there are two different subjects in the two clauses linked by the subordinating conjunction que. Here is a list of common verbs expressing will and desire:
| aimer que, to like that … | préférer que, to prefer that … | |
| aimer mieux que, to prefer that … | souhaiter que, to hope that … | |
| attendre que, to wait, expect that … | vouloir que, to want that … | |
| désirer que, to desire that … | vouloir bien que, to be willing that … | |
| exiger que, to require that … | ||
| Je veux qu‘on prenne le métro à la fête ce soir. | I want us to take the metro to the party tonight. | |
Note however that espérer (to hope) is an exception and is followed by the indicative: ‘Alex espère que Manon préparera du couscous ce soir’ (Alex hopes that Manon will prepare couscous this evening). Remember that when there is only one subject, the conjugated verb is followed by an infinitive: ‘Manon ne veut pas faire la cuisine’ (Manon does not want to cook).
emotion
The subjunctive is used after expressions of emotion and opinion. Remember that the subjunctive is found in the subordinate clause of sentences that contain a change of subject from the main clause to the subordinate clause. Here is a list of common expressions of emotion with which the subjunctive is found in the subordinate clause:
| être content(e) que, to be happy that | être impatient(e) que, to be impatient that | |
| être heureux(/se) que, to be happy that | être désolé(e) que, to be sorry that | |
| être ravi(e) que, to delighted that | regretter que, to regret that | |
| être étonné(e) que, to be surprised that | se réjouir que, to rejoice, celebrate that | |
| être mécontent(e) que, to be unhappy that |
craindre que, to fear that | |
| être malheureux(/se) que, to be unhappy that |
redouter que, to fear that | |
| être triste que, to be sad that | avoir peur que, to fear that | |
| être surpris(e) que, to be surprised that |
Je suis contente que tu viennes ce soir !
Ils sont surpris qu‘il soit à l’heure.
opinion
Here is a list of common impersonal expressions of opinion; there are many more such expressions since any adjective may be used. Remember that impersonal expressions always have ‘il’ as the subject. These expressions are followed by a dependent clause in the subjunctive.
| il est bon que, it is good that | il est utile que, it is useful that | |
| il est juste que, it is fair that | il est urgent que, it is urgent that | |
| il est dommage que, it is unfortunate that | il est logique que, it is logical that |
Conjunctions that take the subjunctive
When the following conjunctions introduce a subordinate clause with a new subject, they always trigger the subjunctive. Remember that the subjects of the subordinate clause and of the main clause are different. In the examples below, the verb in the subjunctive is underlined.
conjunctions expressing intention: pour que, afin que, de sorte que (in order that, so that)
| Marie aide François pour qu’il reçoive de bonnes notes. | Marie is helping François so that he gets a good grade. | |
| Marc achète un café pour Alex afin qu’iel ne soit plus fatigué.e. | Marc buys a coffee for Alex so that they are no longer tired. | |
conjunctions expressing time: avant que (before), en attendant que (while waiting for), jusqu’à ce que (until)
| Pourtant, il doit faire quelque chose avant que Juliette (ne) se rende compte de ce qu’on prépare sa fête surprise ! | Yet he must do something before Juliette realizes that we’re planning her surprise party! | |
| Juliette prend un café en attendant que Marie la rejoigne. | Juliette is having a cup of coffee while waiting for Marie to join her. | |
