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French I - The Subjunctive

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    Study Guide French I – The Subjunctive 1. Forms of the Subjunctive 1. What the Subjunctive Expresses The subjunctive mood is used to express actions that are uncertain, doubtful, emotional, desired, or hypothetical . In other words, the action may or may not happen . Example: • Il est possible que tu réussisses. It is possible that you succeed. The subjunctive verb is usually found in a dependent clause introduced by “que” (that). Example: • Il est important que vous étudiiez. It is important that you study. 2. Forming the Present Subjunctive Step 1: Start with the third - person plural (ils/elles) form of the present tense. Example: • ils aiment • ils agissent • ils rendent Step 2: Remove – ent Example:

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    Study Guide • aim - • agiss - • rend - Step 3: Add the following endings: 3. Verbs with Two Different Stems Some verbs use two stems in the subjunctive: • The ils stem for je, tu, il/elle/on, ils/elles • The nous stem for nous and vous

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    Study Guide 4. Completely Irregular Subjunctive Verbs Some verbs are completely irregular and must be memorized. aller (to go)

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    Study Guide • j'aille • tu ailles • il aille • nous allions • vous alliez • ils aillent vouloir (to want) • je veuille • tu veuilles • il veuille • nous voulions • vous vouliez • ils veuillent faire (to do) • je fasse • tu fasses • il fasse • nous fassions • vous fassiez • ils fassent pouvoir (can) • je puisse • tu puisses • il puisse

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    Study Guide • nous puissions • vous puissiez • ils puissent savoir (to know) • je sache • tu saches • il sache • nous sachions • vous sachiez • ils sachent avoir (to have) • j’aie • tu aies • il ait • nous ayons • vous ayez • ils aient être (to be) • je sois • tu sois • il soit • nous soyons • vous soyez • ils soient

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    Study Guide 5. Subjunctive After Impersonal Expressions The subjunctive is used after expressions that show opinion, doubt, emotion, or necessity . Examples: • il est important que • il est nécessaire que • il est possible que • il est étrange que • il est dommage que • il faut que • il vaut mieux que • il semble que Example: Il est important que vous étudiiez. (It is important that you study.) Sometimes c'est can replace il est . Example: C'est étrange qu'il ne vienne pas. (It’s strange that he isn’t coming.) 6. Subjunctive After Doubt or Uncertainty The subjunctive follows verbs that express doubt, disbelief, or uncertainty . Example: Il doute que je fasse de mon mieux. (He doubts that I will do my best.) However, when doubt is negated , certainty exists, so the indicative is used.

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