The subjonctif présent in french

06 oct. 2017 12:41 - language-swap

Niveau intermédiaire

Like the indicative and the conditional, the subjunctive is a mode. It has four different conjugations in order to respect a certain time-line.
The present subjunctive is used to talk about uncertainties or the possibility of doing an action. However it can also highlight a doubt, a threat, a fear or a wish. The major part of the time, it is introduced by the relative pronoun “que”.
When the present subjunctive is used in a relative proposition, the principal proposition is in the indicative mode.
Example:
C'est le seul ami que je lui conaisse.
It can be pretty easy to conjugate since all the verbs have the same terminations: -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent except for the auxiliaries “être” (to be) and “avoir” (to have). These terminations are added to the radical which is formed by the radical of the verb based on the third person plural of the present tense.
Example:
Ecrire → Ils écrivent → écriv is the radical.
Let's see:


MANGER FINIR
Mange Finisse
Manges Finisses
Mange Finisse
Mangions Finissions
Mangiez Finissiez
Mangent Finissent

CROIRE ENTENDRE PRENDRE
Croie Entende Prenne
Croies Entendes Prennes
Croie Entende Prenne
Croyons Entendions Prenions
Croyez Entendiez Preniez
Croient Entendent Prennent







Here are the irregular verbs at this tense:

Avoir Être Aller Faire
Aie Sois J'ailles Fasse
Aies Sois Tu ailles Fasses
Ait Soit Il aille Fasse
Ayons Soyons Nous allions Fassions
Ayez Soyez Vous alliez Fassiez
Aient Soient Ils aillent Fassent
Pouvoir Vouloir Valoir Savoir
Puisse Veuille Vaille Sache
Puisses Veuilles Vailles Saches
Puisse Veuille Vaille Sache
Puissions Voulions Vallion Sachions
Puissiez Vouliez Valliez Sachiez
Puissent Veuillent Vaillent Sachent

/!\ falloir → qu'il faille