11. Offering Advice: The Subjunctive

11.1 The Formation of the Subjunctive 11.2 How to Use the Subjunctive (Common Expressions and Structures)

11.3 Subjunctive vs Infinitive 11.4 Subjunctive vs Indicative

11.1 The Formation of the Subjunctive

The teacher asks the students to give each other recommendations about what to do or not to do, depending on the season: En hiver, il est important que tu portes des vêtements chauds.

En été, il est essentiel que vous mettiez de la crème solaire (sunscreen).

Unlike the present indicative (présent de l’indicatif), that you use to express a fact, the subjunctive indicative (présent du subjonctif) is used when you are not referring to objective facts, but when you are expressing a wish, a recommendation, a regret, etc. En hiver, il est important que tu portes des vêtements chauds.

All regular -ER, -IR and -RE verbs, as well as many irregular verbs, follow the same pattern: (1) You start with the present-tense ils/elles conjugaison of the verb. (2) You drop the ‘-ent’ ending. (3) You add the appropriate subjunctive ending:

Je -E

Tu -ESIl/Elle/On -E

Nous -IONSVous -IEZ

Ils/Elles -ENT

Example with the verb porter (‘to wear’)

Ils/Elles portent port— tu portes

Example with the verb mettre (‘to put on’)

Ils/Elles mettent mett— vous mettiez

As we have seen, some verbs have a stem specific to nous and vous at the present.

Here is a reminder with the verb boire (‘to drink’) conjugated at the present:

Je bois Nous buvons

Tu bois Vous buvez

Il/Elle/On boit

Ils/Elles boivent

These verbs will also keep two stems at the subjunctive:

Il faut que tu boives beaucoup d’eau en été.

Il est important que vous buviez beaucoup d’eau en été.

Common verbs with two stems, like boire:Verb

(infinitive) Stems Verb (infinitive) Stems

Croire (to believe)

Croi- Croy-

Comprendre (to understand)

Comprenn- Compren-

Voir (to see)

Voi- Voy-

Venir (to come)

Vienn- Ven-

Recevoir (to receive/get)

Reç- Recev-

Devenir (to become)

Devienn- Deven-

Prendre (to take)

Prenn- Pren-

Apprendre (to learn)

Apprenn- Apren-

Common verbs with two stems, like boire:

Verb (infinitive) Stems Verb

(infinitive) Stems

Devoir (to have to)

Doiv- Dev-

Acheter (to buy)

Achèt- Achet-

Payer (to pay)

Pai- Pay-

Appeler (to call)

Appell- Appel-

Here are some more recommendations students made regarding weather:

Il faut que tu sois prudent sit tu conduis (drive) en hiver.

Il faut que vous fassiez attention à ne pas vous enrhumer (to catch a cold) en automne.

There is only a limited number of verbs that are completely irregular at the subjunctive.

Aller Avoir Être FaireJ’aille J’aie Je sois Je fasse

Tu ailles Tu aies Tu sois Tu fasses

Il/Elle/On aille Il/Elle/On ait Il/Elle/On soit Il/Elle/On fasse

Nous allions Nous ayons Nous soyons Nous fassionsVous alliez Vous ayez Vous soyez Vous fassiez

Ils/Elles aillent Ils/Elles aient Ils/Elles

soient Ils/Elles fassent

Savoir Pouvoir Vouloir Falloir (to have to)

Je sache Je puisse Je veuilleTu saches Tu puisses Tu veuillesIl/Elle/On

sacheIl/Elle/On

puisseIl/Elle/On

veuille Il faille

Nous sachions

Nous puissions

Nous voulions

Vous sachiez

Vous puissiez Vous vouliez

Ils/Elles sachent

Ils/Elles puissent

Ils/Elles veuillent

11.2 How to Use the Subjunctive (Common Expressions and Structures)

The Legendre have decided to go on a cruise for the summer holiday. They are reading some of the recommendations from the brochure:

Il est nécessaire que vous preniez de la crème solaire.

Il faut que vous buviez beaucoup d’eau.

Il est important que vous passiez du temps à l’ombre (in the shade).

The table below provide you with some of the most common expressions that require the subjunctive:

Il est important que

It is important that Vouloir que To want that

Il est nécessaire que

It is necessary that Espérer que To wish that

Il faut que To have to Demander que To ask that

Il est essentiel que

It is essential that Douter que To doubt that

Souhaiter/désirer que To wish that Il se peut que It may be that

Il est possible que

It is possible that

Il est probable que

It is probable that

General rules:

(1) To use the subjunctive you always need to have 2 different subjects!

Je souhaite que vous fassiez vos devoirs.

(2) You will use the appropriate expression followed by the verb at the subjunctive:

Il se peut que nous allions à un concert ce soir.

(3) A verb or expression that requires the subjunctive will always end with que.

Je doute que tu puisses arriver à l’heure (on time).

Il faut que nous partions à 6h du matin pour aller à la gare (train station).

11.3 Subjunctive vs Infinitive

Some sentences that would normally require the subjunctive will use the infinitive instead.

Here are the most common cases where the infinitive would be used instead of the subjunctive:

(1) If there is only one subject:

You won’t translate ‘I want to go to the theater’ by Je veux que j’aille au cinéma

When there is only one subject in the sentence, the subjunctive is replaced by the infinitive:

Je veux aller au cinéma.

(2) If you are giving an advice using the construction:

Il est + adjective + de

Il est bon de faire du sport régulièrement (‘It is good to exercise regularly’).

Il est important de dormir au moins 7 heures chaque nuit (‘It is important to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night’).

11.4 Subjunctive vs Indicative

Some verbs/expressions require the indicative instead of the subjunctive, even if there are 2 subjects in the sentence.

The following table provides you with the most common expressions/verbs that require the indicative instead of the infinitive:

Je sais que I know that Je suis sûr(e) que I am sure that

Je vois que I can see that Il est certain que

It is certain that

Je pense que I think that Il est évident que

It is obvious that

Je crois que I believe that Il est vrai que It is true that

J’espère que I hope thatJe suis

convaincu(e) que

I am convinced

that

When used in a negation or, more particularly, in a question, je pense que and je crois que take the subjunctive:

Je crois que tu as tort (‘I think that you are wrong’). Used in a statement, takes the present indicative.

Je ne crois pas que tu aies raison (‘I don’t think that you are right’) Used in a negation, takes the subjunctive.