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Reported speech and the subjunctive: wanted, needed, already done

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Keep the subjunctive when reporting wishes, needs and reactions. Compare voulait que, fallait que and soit venu, then answer five short questions.

In short

A past report keeps the subjunctive required by a wish, need or reaction: Léa a dit qu’elle voulait que Sami vienne. In everyday French, vienne remains a present subjunctive after past voulait. For an earlier completed visit, use soit venu.

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A woman welcoming a hoped-for visitor at a French apartment door.
Elle voulait qu’il vienne reports a wish about a visit. Illustration: Atelier

There are two links in Léa a dit qu’elle voulait que Sami vienne. The first que introduces Léa’s statement; voulait is indicative imparfait. The second belongs to vouloir que, which calls for the subjunctive. Each verb follows the expression governing its own clause.

Le subjonctif dans un récit de paroles

1 · Keep the wish construction

Shift je veux to elle voulait for a past viewpoint. Keep the desired action in the subjunctive. The wish concerns Sami’s coming; his arrival is still to happen at the time of the wish.

« Je veux que Sami vienne. » → Léa a dit qu’elle voulait que Sami vienne.“I want Sami to come.” → Léa said she wanted Sami to come.

2 · Keep the requirement

Everyday French uses the present subjunctive after il fallait que. A literary imperfect subjunctive belongs to another register. In que nous attendions, the subjunctive has the same spelling as the indicative imparfait.

Elle a expliqué qu’il fallait que nous attendions.She explained that we had to wait.

Il a dit qu’il fallait que tu sois disponible.He said that you had to be available.

3 · Keep earlier completion

A reaction to an earlier completed action takes the past subjunctive here: subjunctive auxiliary plus past participle. Venir uses être: soit venu for Sami, soit venue for Léa.

Inès a dit qu’elle était contente que Sami soit venu.Inès said she was glad Sami had come.

Sami a dit qu’il était content que Léa soit venue.Sami said he was glad Léa had come.

4 · Choose by the governing expression

An ordinary reported statement after dire que uses the indicative. A wish nested inside that statement keeps its own subjunctive. Que alone cannot tell you which mood to use.

Elle a dit que Sami était disponible.She said Sami was available.

Elle a dit qu’elle souhaitait que Sami soit disponible.She said she wanted Sami to be available.

When does reported speech take the subjunctive?

Question 1No account needed
Complete the reported wish.Léa a dit qu’elle voulait que Sami ___.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

vienne. Voulait que calls for the subjunctive: que Sami vienne.

Question 2No account needed
Complete the requirement in everyday French.Il a dit qu’il fallait que tu ___ disponible.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

sois. Il fallait que takes the subjunctive, so tu sois fits the requirement.

Question 3No account needed
Sami’s visit was already over when Inès expressed her pleasure.Inès a dit qu’elle était contente que Sami ___.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

soit venu. The earlier completed visit takes the past subjunctive soit venu.

Question 4No account needed
The earlier visitor is Léa. Which form agrees?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

soit venue. Venir uses être, and venue agrees with the female visitor Léa.

Question 5No account needed
Why is voulait indicative but vienne subjunctive in the first example?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Dire que introduces the statement; vouloir que governs the wish.. The two verbs belong to different constructions, even though both clauses begin with que.

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