Le subjonctifLe subjonctif

The subjunctive moodThe subjunctive mood

MoodsMoods

There are 3 moods in languageThere are 3 moods in language INDICATIVE: This is used to state facts INDICATIVE: This is used to state facts

where there is no uncertainty in the mind of where there is no uncertainty in the mind of the speaker the speaker

IMPERATIVE: Giving orders and commandsIMPERATIVE: Giving orders and commands SUBJUNCTIVE: Stating ideas, possibilities SUBJUNCTIVE: Stating ideas, possibilities

and wishes that might not necessarily happenand wishes that might not necessarily happen

The Subjunctive moodThe Subjunctive mood

The subjunctive has almost completely The subjunctive has almost completely disappeared from the English languagedisappeared from the English language

If I were youIf I were you May the force be with you!May the force be with you! Long live the King!Long live the King! However, in French, the subjunctive is very However, in French, the subjunctive is very

much still alive, particularly in the Present much still alive, particularly in the Present Tense.Tense.

The Subjunctive continuedThe Subjunctive continued

The subjunctive has present, imperfect and The subjunctive has present, imperfect and conditional forms.conditional forms.

The imperfect and conditional are confined to The imperfect and conditional are confined to written language and then often to the third written language and then often to the third person.person.

The present must however be learned The present must however be learned thoroughly!!thoroughly!!

Subjunctive - formationSubjunctive - formation

Fortunately the subjunctive is easy to formFortunately the subjunctive is easy to form You must first write down the ‘ils’ form of the You must first write down the ‘ils’ form of the

present tensepresent tense You then take off the –ent from the endYou then take off the –ent from the end To this stem you add the appropriate endings To this stem you add the appropriate endings

for each subjectfor each subject

Formation – endingsFormation – endingse.g. for the verb ‘jouer’e.g. for the verb ‘jouer’

ils jouils jouentent Je Je joujou TuTu joujou IlIl joujou ElleElle joujou NouNou joujou VousVous joujou IlsIls joujou EllesElles joujou

entent

entent

entent

entent

entent

entent

entent

entent

-es

-e

-e

-ions

-iez

-ent

-ent

-e

Formation – PracticeFormation – PracticeWrite the correct present tense Write the correct present tense

subjunctive forms of the following subjunctive forms of the following verbsverbs

Je (manger)Je (manger) Tu (rester)Tu (rester) Il (finir)Il (finir) Elle (vendre)Elle (vendre) Nous (partir)Nous (partir) Vous (boire)Vous (boire) Ils (craindre)Ils (craindre) Elles (venir)Elles (venir)

Je mangeJe mange Tu restesTu restes Il finisseIl finisse Elle vendeElle vende Nous partionsNous partions Vous boiviezVous boiviez Ils craignentIls craignent Elles viennentElles viennent

Subjunctive - summarySubjunctive - summary

Work out the ils formWork out the ils form e.g. ils viennente.g. ils viennent Take off the –entTake off the –ent e.g. vienne.g. vienn Add the correct endingAdd the correct ending e.g. je vienne.g. je viennee

e.g. nous e.g. nous viennionsviennions

Subjunctive - ExceptionsSubjunctive - Exceptions

Inevitably, there are some very important Inevitably, there are some very important exceptions that need to be learned!exceptions that need to be learned!

There are seven common exceptions on the There are seven common exceptions on the following pages.following pages.

There is no rule to know how to conjugate the There is no rule to know how to conjugate the verbs.verbs.

Exceptions - 1Exceptions - 1

être – to beêtre – to be je soisje sois tu soistu sois il soitil soit elle soitelle soit nous soyonsnous soyons vous soyezvous soyez ils soientils soient elles soientelles soient

avoir – to haveavoir – to have j’aiej’aie tu aiestu aies il aitil ait elle aitelle ait nous ayonsnous ayons vous ayezvous ayez ils aientils aient elles aientelles aient

Exceptions - 2Exceptions - 2

aller – to goaller – to go j’aillej’aille tu aillestu ailles il ailleil aille elle ailleelle aille nous allionsnous allions vous alliezvous alliez ils aillentils aillent elles aillentelles aillent

vouloir – to wantvouloir – to want je veuilleje veuille tu veuillestu veuilles il veuilleil veuille elle veuilleelle veuille nous voulionsnous voulions vous vouliezvous vouliez ils veuillentils veuillent elles veuillentelles veuillent

Exceptions - 3Exceptions - 3

The following exceptions have the same The following exceptions have the same endings as for the regular forms but have endings as for the regular forms but have different stemsdifferent stems

fairefaire to doto do fass-fass- pouvoirpouvoir to be able toto be able to puiss-puiss- savoirsavoir to knowto know sach-sach-

Practice – 2Practice – 2Write the correct subjunctive formsWrite the correct subjunctive forms

Je (savoir)Je (savoir) Tu (vouloir)Tu (vouloir) Il (avoir)Il (avoir) Elle (pouvoir)Elle (pouvoir) Nous (Nous (être)être) Vous (aller)Vous (aller) Ils (savoir)Ils (savoir) Elles (pouvoir)Elles (pouvoir)

Je sacheJe sache Tu veuillesTu veuilles Il aitIl ait Elle puisseElle puisse Nous soyonsNous soyons Vous alliezVous alliez Ils sachentIls sachent Elles puissentElles puissent

Subjunctive - UseSubjunctive - Use

The subjunctive is used …The subjunctive is used … ……after certain conjunctionsafter certain conjunctions ……after certain verbsafter certain verbs

The word ‘que’ is often a trigger for the The word ‘que’ is often a trigger for the subjunctive mood (BUT NOT ALWAYS)subjunctive mood (BUT NOT ALWAYS)

After certain conjunctionsAfter certain conjunctions bien que / quoiquebien que / quoique although…although… pour que / afin quepour que / afin que so that…so that… avant queavant que before…before… jusqu’jusqu’à ce queà ce que until…until… sans quesans que without…without… pourvu quepourvu que provided that…provided that… à condition queà condition que on condition that…on condition that… à moins queà moins que unless…unless… quoi quequoi que whatever…whatever… ooù queù que wherever…wherever…

After certain verbsAfter certain verbs

wanting, wishing, desiring, requesting, demanding, wanting, wishing, desiring, requesting, demanding, feelingfeeling

je suis content que…je suis content que… I am happy that…I am happy that… je suis surpris que…je suis surpris que… I am surprised that…I am surprised that… je veux que…je veux que… I want…I want… je regrette que…je regrette que… I am sorry that…I am sorry that… je demande que…je demande que… I ask that…I ask that… je m’je m’étonne que…étonne que… I am astonished that…I am astonished that…

after certain verbs etc.after certain verbs etc.

after verbs expressing fearafter verbs expressing fear J’ai peur queJ’ai peur que I am frightened that…I am frightened that… Je crains queJe crains que I fear that…I fear that…

After certain verbsAfter certain verbs

expressing personal opinionexpressing personal opinion the subjunctive is only required when the the subjunctive is only required when the

verb is used in the negative form!!verb is used in the negative form!! je je nene crois crois paspas que… que… I don’t believe that…I don’t believe that… je je nene dis dis paspas que… que… I am not saying I am not saying

that…that… je je nn’esp’espère ère paspas que… que… I don’t hope that…I don’t hope that… Je Je nene pense pense paspas que… que… I don’t think that…I don’t think that…

Impersonal verbsImpersonal verbs These are useful phrases that are always followed by These are useful phrases that are always followed by

the subjunctivethe subjunctive Il faut que…Il faut que… It is necessary that…It is necessary that… Il se peut que…Il se peut que… It is possible that…It is possible that… Il importe que…Il importe que… It is important that…It is important that… Il est regrettable que…Il est regrettable que… It is regrettable that…It is regrettable that… Il est (im)possible que…Il est (im)possible que… It is (im)possible that…It is (im)possible that… Il est improbable que…Il est improbable que… It is unlikely that…It is unlikely that… Il semble que…Il semble que… It seems that…It seems that… Il est douteux que…Il est douteux que… It is doubtful that…It is doubtful that…

Subjunctive – practice 3Subjunctive – practice 3translate the followingtranslate the following

It is necessary that one is a realist…It is necessary that one is a realist… although you are right…although you are right… Whatever he says…Whatever he says… Before they arrive…Before they arrive… I want you to know…I want you to know… It is regrettable that she is illIt is regrettable that she is ill ……unless we are able to leave…unless we are able to leave… I don’t believe you want to do that.I don’t believe you want to do that.

Practice 3 answersPractice 3 answers

Il faut qu’on soit rIl faut qu’on soit réalisteéaliste bien que vous ayez raisonbien que vous ayez raison quoi qu’il disequoi qu’il dise avant qu’ils arriventavant qu’ils arrivent Je veux que vous sachiezJe veux que vous sachiez Il est regrettable qu’elle soit maladeIl est regrettable qu’elle soit malade à moins que nous puissions partirà moins que nous puissions partir Je ne crois pas que vous vouliez faire Je ne crois pas que vous vouliez faire ça!ça!

Some important points to considerSome important points to consider Although it may appear complicated the subjunctive is Although it may appear complicated the subjunctive is

nothing to be fearednothing to be feared You have survived five years of French without needing itYou have survived five years of French without needing it It is very simple to form in the present tense if you follow It is very simple to form in the present tense if you follow

the rules and note the 7 exceptionsthe rules and note the 7 exceptions There are lots of structures that trigger the infinitive but you There are lots of structures that trigger the infinitive but you

are unlikely to ever use even half of them in your AS are unlikely to ever use even half of them in your AS studiesstudies

It is a good idea to learn a few conjunctions and verbal It is a good idea to learn a few conjunctions and verbal phrases that use subjunctive to show off in your exam.phrases that use subjunctive to show off in your exam.

Try learning the subjunctive in set phrases like those in the Try learning the subjunctive in set phrases like those in the previous exercises.previous exercises.

Don’t panic!Don’t panic!