French Grammar: Present Subjunctive of Irregular Verbs
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Identify:
French Grammar: Present Subjunctive of Irregular Verbs
la grammaire française: les verbes irréguliers au présent du subjonctif
Study:
The subjunctive is not a verb tense, but a mood. It is an alternative verb form that has to be used in certain circumstances. “Mood” is actually a good way to think of the subjunctive, since it often expresses a particular emotional mood – sadness, happiness, anger, desire, hopefulness, uncertainty, doubt, denial, etc.
The mood (sometimes called the mode) of a verb expresses an attitude toward the verb or describes how it is used in the sentence. There are two moods in French: the indicative mood and the subjunctive mood. The more common of the two moods is the indicative mood. The first forms of verbs learned in French are usually in the indicative mood. The indicative is used to indicate or express actions that definitely are taking place, did take place, or will take place. The subjunctive mood expresses the opposite of the indicative; it expresses what may happen.
Let’s compare the indicative and the subjunctive:
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| Indicative | Subjunctive |
| Indicates or points something out | Is subjective (not objective) |
| Is factual | Not factual |
| Statement stands alone | Statement can not stand alone |
| Is independent | Is dependent on something |
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Studying the chart above can be helpful in learning the uses of the subjunctive as it compares to the indicative. The French subjunctive occurs primarily in dependent clauses. The dependent clause that contains the subjunctive usually follows a main clause that contains the indicative. The main and dependent clauses must have a different subject, and the clauses are linked by que (or qu’).
Click here to learn How to Form the Present Subjunctive of Regular Verbs.
Click here to learn How to Form the Present Subjunctive of Verbs with Two Stems.
Some irregular verbs have one (1) stem in the Present Subjunctive; other irregular verbs have two (2) stems in the Present Subjunctive.
a. The following irregular verbs have one (1) stem in the Present Subjunctive:
FAIRE : to do / to make
je fasse, tu fasses, il/elle/on fasse, nous fassions, vous fassiez, ils/elles fassent
FALLOIR : to be necessary
il faille
PLEUVOIR : to rain
il pleuve
POUVOIR : to be able / can
je puisse, tu puisses, il/elle/on puisse, nous puissions, vous puissiez, ils/elles puissent
SAVOIR : to know
je sache, tu saches, il/elle/on sache, nous sachions, vous sachiez, ils/elles sachent
b. The following irregular verbs have two (2) stems in the Present Subjunctive:
ALLER : to go
j’aille, tu ailles, il/elle/on aille, nous allions, vous alliez, ils/elles aillent
AVOIR : to have
j’aie, tu aies, il/elle/on ait, nous ayons, vous ayez, ils/elles aient
ÊTRE : to be
je sois, tu sois, il/elle/on soit, nous soyons, vous soyez, ils/elles soient
VALOIR : to be worth
je vaille, tu vailles, il/elle/on vaille, nous valions, vous valiez, ils/elles vaillent
VOULOIR : to want
je veuille, tu veuilles, il/elle/on veuille, nous voulions, vous vouliez, ils/elles veuillent
Adapt:
Je veux qu’ils soient contents.
I want them to be happy.
Il est surprenant que la bague vaille si peu.
It is surprising that the ring is worth so little.
Elle est contente que tu puisses lui rendre visite en automne.
She is happy that you (informal) can visit her in the Fall.
Il est important que nous sachions ce qui s’est passé.
It is important that we know what happened.
Le médecin suggère que je fasse plus d’exercice.
The doctor suggests that I do more exercise.
Il est normal qu’il pleuve au printemps.
It is normal that it rains in the spring.
Que la force soit avec toi.
May the force be with you.
