Use the French subjunctive mood to talk about doubt, uncertainty, or emotions and the indicative mood to discuss facts and certainties. If I had to give you some tips to determine when to use the subjunctive rather than the indicative, I’d break it down into three points. We use the subjunctive:
When something is not real (it is hypothetical) or not sure (it may not happen)
When using an adjective expressing emotions, judgment, or thin probability
After certain , which must be learned by heart
Like the indicative, the subjunctive mood can also be used in different tenses. Typically, the French present subjunctive will be used, but there is also an imperfect subjunctive tense in French. In this post, we’ll review when to use the subjunctive (in either tense) as opposed to the indicative. Let’s take a look!
One clue for when to use the subjunctive versus the indicative in French is that the subjunctive will almost always be used with “heart” , while the indicative is used with “head” verbs. To help you understand the difference between the two, imagine two worlds to visualize the concept of indicative and subjunctive:
Indicative 🗣 :
tangible, certain, possible, objective, reason
Subjunctive 🤎 :
unreal, unsure, impossible, subjective, feelings
If we follow the logic from above, head verbs call for the indicative, whereas heart verbs call for the subjunctive.
Head :
Je pense qu’il est tard.(I think it is late.)
Heart :
(the imperfect subjunctive!)
J’ai peur qu’elle soit déjà partie.(I’m afraid she’s already gone.)
Head verbs 🗣 |
|---|
penser to think |
trouver to find / to consider |
croire to believe |
imaginer to imagine |
supposer to suppose |
avoir l'impression to be under the impression |
remarquer to notice |
observer to observe |
constater to note |
Heart verbs 🤎 |
|---|
vouloir to want |
désirer to desire |
souhaiter to wish |
préférer to prefer |
avoir peur to fear |
craindre to dread |
redouter to fear |
être désolé to be sorry |
douter to doubt |
vouloir to want |
exiger to demand |
attendre to wait |
s’attendre à ce que to expect |
Espérer(to hope) is an exception in French. While it may seem like a heart verb, it actually calls for the indicative in the future tense.
J'espère(I hope) + future tense in French!
J'espère qu’il ne pleuve → pleuvra pas ce week-end.
I hope it won’t rain this weekend.
All head verbs in the negative call for the subjunctive. Why? Because we are talking about something that is not real or certain anymore.
J’ai l’impression qu’il est mal-à-l'aise.
BUT
Je n’ai pas l’impression qu’il soit mal-à-l'aise.
I’m not under the impression he may be ill at ease.
Also, all the head verbs in the interrogative (using French subject-verb inversion only) call for the subjunctive. Why? Because if you ask the question, a doubt is implied.
Question with inversion (subjunctive) | Question without inversion (no subjunctive) |
|---|---|
Crois-tu qu’il soit honnête ? | Tu crois qu’il est honnête ? |
Do you think he’s honest? | |
Sometimes, you may use either subjunctive or indicative. The use of either will add some subtlety. Read the example below:
Je cherche une babysitter qui puisse parler cinq langues et qui prenne $5 de l’heure.
Je cherche une babysitter qui peut parler cinq langues et qui prend $5 de l’heure.
I am looking for a babysitter who can speak 5 languages and charge $5 per hour.
→ In which sentence do I think such a talented babysitter charging so little exists?
In sentence (1) I reckon it could be hard or impossible to find because I used the subjunctive.
In sentence (2) I reckon I’m likely to find one!
As you may already know from learning to form the present tense subjunctive, sometimes negation in French calls for the subjunctive. Here are two other examples of negation for which you’ll need to remember to use the subjunctive.
When using phrases beginning with il n’y a… like
il n’y a pas…
there is not…
il n’y a rien…
there is nothing…
Il n’y a rien qui lui fasse plaisir.
There is nothing that could make him happy.
Il n’y a rien que je veuille acheter.
There is nothing I want to buy.
il n’y a aucun…
there is no…
Il n’y a aucun candidat qui nous satisfasse.
There is no candidate who satisfies.
il n’y a personne…
there is nobody…
Il n’y a personne qui puisse vous aider?
Is there no one that could help you?
When using the phrase sans que(without)
Elle est partie sans que je lui dise au revoir.
She left without me saying goodbye.
Use the subjunctive with expressing emotions or probability in certain contexts, such as with c'est or il est or the verb être.
C'est or il est + adjective expressing emotions, judgment, or thin probability requires the subjunctive. Objective adjectives, like those shown below, will require the indicative mood instead.
C’est / il est + objective adjectives |
|---|
évident obvious |
certain certain |
clair clear |
probable (<50% chance) etc. possible |
C’est / il est + subjective adjectives |
|---|
bizarre strange |
étonnant surprising |
surprenant surprising |
choquant shocking |
inquiétant worrying |
normal normal |
probable (>50% chance) etc. possible |
For example:
Il est scandaleux qu’ils soient partis sans payer.
It is outrageous they left without paying.
être + adjective expressing emotions requires the subjunctive as well.
The list could be never-ending, so I am just giving you a few examples here.
être + emotion adjectives |
|---|
content happy |
triste sad |
surpris surprised |
outré outraged |
déçu disappointed |
For example:
Je suis heureux que tu sois dans ma vie.
I am over the moon you are in my life.
Adding an adjective to trouver(to find, to consider) calls for the subjunctive.
Je trouve qu’il fait chaud.
I find that it's hot.
Je trouve bizarre qu’il fasse chaud.
I find it odd that it's hot.
Some conjunctions are followed by the subjunctive and need to be learned by heart. It is about memory work here but also about logic, so even though the list below is not exhaustive, you can decide whether to use the subjunctive or not by understanding the meaning of the conjunction. Conjunctions expressing a goal, restriction, condition, time, or emotion (like fear) will require the subjunctive.
Let’s break it down!
French conjunctions calling for subjunctive | ||
|---|---|---|
Conjunction purpose | French | English |
goal | pour que | in order to |
afin que | ||
de sorte que | ||
de maniere que | ||
restriction | bien que | although |
malgré le fait que | despite the fact that | |
à moins que | unless | |
condition | à condition que | provided that |
pourvu que | ||
time | avant que | in order to |
jusqu'à ce que | until | |
en attendant que | until | |
après que* (see below) | after | |
fear | de crainte que | for fear that |
de peur que | ||
concession | quoi que | whatever |
quoique | although | |
For example:
Nous irons voir le film pourvu qu’il y ait de la place.
We’ll go see the film provided there are seats left.
Bien que son frère la mette en colère, elle l’aime.
Even though her brother gets on her nerves, she loves him.
After après que(after), you may use either the indicative or the subjunctive. Between you and me, the proper way is to use the indicative because what follows actually happened and is therefore real. But French speakers do love the subjunctive, so they use it instead!
Proper use:
J’ai appelé ma mère après qu’il est parti.(I called my mother after he left.)
Most common use:
J’ai appelé ma mère après qu’il soit parti.(I called my mother after he left.)
When using the subjunctive and indicative moods in French, remember the following:
Am I rational? → indicative
OR am I subjective and emotional? → subjunctive
Is what we are talking about likely to happen or exist?
Yes → indicative
No → subjunctive
être + adjective expressing a feeling, a judgment or a thin probability → subjunctive
Memory work: conjunctions expressing goal, restriction, condition, time, fear → subjunctive
Want to practice? We have created some exercises on the French subjunctive vs indicative for you!
