Guide to Using the French Present Subjunctive Mood

Understanding the Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive mood is a verb form that expresses doubt, uncertainty, desires, or hypothetical situations. In English, we often use it after phrases like "I wish" or "it's important that," but in French, it's frequently used and more formalized.

When to Use the Present Subjunctive in French

Use the present subjunctive in French mainly after expressions of necessity, possibility, doubt, desire, and after certain conjunctions.

Forming the Present Subjunctive

To form the present subjunctive, take the third-person plural form of the present indicative, remove the ending, and add the subjunctive endings.

Subjunctive Endings

1. -e
2. -es
3. -e
4. -ions
5. -iez
6. -ent

Examples – Regular and Irregular Verbs

Regular Verbs

Irregular Verbs

Key Conjunctions Triggering the Subjunctive

Some key conjunctions that trigger the use of the subjunctive include: "pour que" (so that), "bien que" (although), "à condition que" (provided that).

• bien que
• pour que
• à condition que

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A common mistake is using the indicative instead of the subjunctive after expressions and verbs that require it. Another is forgetting the irregular forms, which can lead to misunderstandings.