Check a French subjunctive clause: expression, actor, time, form

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Proofread French subjunctive clauses with worked examples of wishes, reactions and completed actions, then test four choices in a short quiz.

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In short

Read the whole expression before que, identify who acts and choose the time relationship. Then check the form: Je souhaite que tu viennes gives the coming to you; Je souhaite venir gives it to me. The word que alone never tells you which mood to choose.

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A friend receives a warm welcome at an apartment door.
The welcome fits je suis contente que tu sois là. Illustration: Atelier
Study the opening, then the verb
ExpressionExampleReason
il faut queIl faut que tu répondes.necessity
je souhaite queJe souhaite que tu participes.wish
je suis contente queJe suis contente que tu sois là.emotional reaction
je pense queJe pense que tu as raison.ordinary affirmative opinion: indicative
j’espère queJ’espère que tu viendras.ordinary affirmative hope: indicative

In the reaction example, the speaker is glad about someone’s presence. The subjunctive follows the emotional expression even when that presence is accepted as a fact. Choose the construction first rather than asking whether the event feels uncertain.

When do you need the subjunctive instead of an infinitive?

Je souhaite participer.I would like to take part.

Focus: The speaker wishes and participates.

Je souhaite que Léa participe.I would like Léa to take part.

Focus: The speaker wishes; Léa participates.

Je suis contente de participer.I am glad to be taking part.

Focus: The infinitive needs de after this adjective.

With the same actor, these infinitive constructions give a compact sentence. Keep their connecting words: souhaiter participer, but être contente de participer. With a different actor, use a full clause and check the verb against that actor.

When do you use the past subjunctive?

Je regrette qu’elle parte demain.

I am sorry she is leaving tomorrow.

Present subjunctive can refer to a future departure.

Je regrette qu’elle soit partie hier.

I am sorry she left yesterday.

Past subjunctive presents the completed departure. Partie agrees with elle.

Il faut qu’elle ait terminé avant midi.

She needs to have finished before noon.

The compound form can also present completion before a future deadline.

Check the verb group in pieces

Four checks inside one clause
PieceChecked formWhat to inspect
Subject and stemque nous prenionsNous takes pren-, with one n.
Irregular auxiliaryqu’elle soit partieSoit is subjunctive être.
Negative compoundqu’elle n’ait pas réponduNe … pas surrounds the auxiliary.
Following infinitivequ’elle puisse participerParticiper stays infinitive after pouvoir.
Before keeping the correction

A self-review aid, not a grade. Ticks are not saved.

Question 1No account needed
Use the ordinary affirmative opinion pattern.Je pense qu’elle ___ raison.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

a. Affirmative je pense que normally takes the indicative: a raison.

Question 2No account needed
Keep Léa as the person who participates.Je souhaite que Léa ___.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

participe. The clause has its own subject, Léa, and the form is participe.

Question 3No account needed
Refer to yesterday’s completed departure.Je regrette qu’elle ___ hier.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

soit partie. The past subjunctive gives the completed departure; partie agrees with elle.

Question 4No account needed
Put the negative around the auxiliary.Je regrette qu’elle ___ à temps.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

n’ait pas répondu. After je regrette que, use subjunctive ait, with ne … pas around it.

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