French 18: Subjunctive Present

A subjunctive is required if the main clause has one of the following verbs : all verbs of likes and dislikes, and verbs or expressions of fear, wish, doubt, regret, feelings, order, obligation or necessity.

Je suis désolé qu'il soit ici. — I am sorry that he is here.
The verb's subject in the subordinate clause is different from that in the main clause.

Je regrette qu'il soit ici. — I regret that he is here. (Subject differs => Subjunctive)
Je déteste être ici. — I hate being here. (Subject is the same => Infinitive)

Usually, the subordinate clause is introduced by the conjunction que, or other conjunctions, like avant que, bien que, afin que, pour que, quoique.

Some impersonal expressions automatically prompt a subjunctive, the most common being il faut que. Others include : il est bon que, c’est bien que, il est nécessaire que, il est important que.

Some verbs that are usually constructed with the indicative switch to the subjunctive when they are in the negative, like penser and croire.

Some relative clauses can be found in subjunctive, when the main clause has such expressions as le seul qui/que, le premier qui/que, le dernier qui/que.
Conjugation:

The French subjunctive has 4 tenses : present, imperfect, past and pluperfect. There is no future tense and among the 3 past tenses, only the subjunctive past is commonly used.

The subjunctive present endings are the same for all verbs:

Pronoun	Ending
Je	-e
Tu	-es
Il/Elle	-e
Nous	-ions
Vous	-iez
Ils/Elles	-ent

In most cases, the subjunctive is formed by removing the –ent ending from the ils/ellesindicative present form, and then adding the subjunctive endings.

-er verbs:

For je, tu, il, elle, on, ils, elles, the subjunctive present form and pronunciation are identical to those of the indicative present :

manger — stem = mang-ent

Subject	Verb
que je	mange
que tu	manges
qu’il/elle/on	mange
qu’ils/elles	mangent

For nous, vous, the subjunctive present form and pronunciation are similar to those of the indicative imperfect :

Subject	Verb
que nous	mangions
que vous	mangiez

-ir and –re verbs:

For je, tu, il, elle, on, the subjunctive present is different from the indicative present, because the stem is different. Yet the pronunciation is the same as that of the ils/ellesindicative present.

finir — stem = finiss-ent

Subject	Verb
que je	finisse
que tu	finisses
qu’il/elle/on	finisse
qu’ils/elles	finissent

dormir — stem = dorm-ent

Subject	Verb
que je	dorme
que tu	dormes
qu’il/elle/on	dorme
qu’ils/elles	dorment

comprendre — stem = comprenn-ent

Subject	Verb
que je	comprenne
que tu	comprennes
qu’il/elle/on	comprenne
qu’ils/elles	comprennent

For nous, vous, the subjunctive present form and pronunciation are similar to those of the indicative imperfect :

finir — stem = finiss-ent

Subject	Verb
que nous	finissions
que vous	finissiez

dormir — stem = dorm-ent

Subject	Verb
que nous	dormions
que vous	dormiez

comprendre — stem = comprenn-ent

Subject	Verb
que nous	comprenions
que vous	compreniez

Other common and irregular verbs:

Subject	Être	Avoir	Aller
que je/j'	sois	aie	aille
que tu	sois	aies	ailles
qu’il/elle/on	soit	ait	aille
que nous	soyons	ayons	allions
que vous	soyez	ayez	alliez
qu’ils/elles	soient	aient	aillent

Subject	Pouvoir	Vouloir	Savoir	Faire
que je	puisse	veuille	sache	fasse
que tu	puisses	veuilles	saches	fasses
qu’il/elle/on	puisse	veuille	sache	fasse
que nous	puissions	voulions	sachions	fassions
que vous	puissiez	vouliez	sachiez	fassiez
qu’ils/elles	puissent	veuillent	sachent	fassent