French Grammar Explained /
The subjunctive with the verbs of feelings
I think you are ready... for some hardcore French!
What?!?
You know that in the French conjugation, tenses are grouped under three modes:
L'indicatif (the indicative)
L'impératif (the imperative)
Le subjonctif (the subjunctive)
Sure, I knew that.
Well, so far we've only studied the first two modes...
**blasé**
But if you had to remember one word to describe the subjunctive it should be subjectivity. Remember that this mode conveys doubt, possibility and uncertainty.
Je suis heureux que tu manges avec nous ce soir.
I am happy that you're eating with us tonight.
Is this sentence using a subjunctive at all? It looks like manger in the present tense...
Ha ha, good catch! Look at the conjugation of the regular -ER verb, manger:
INDICATIF présent | SUBJONCTIF présent |
|---|---|
je mange | je mange |
tu manges | tu manges |
il/elle/on mange | il/elle/on mange |
nous mangeons | nous mangions |
vous mangez | vous mangiez |
ils/elles mangent | ils/elles mangent |
It's almost the same conjugation!
Mais oui, tu as raison ! The regular -ER verbs are pretty much conjugated the same in the indicative and the subjunctive present! Only nous and vous are slightly different.
Best news of the day!
Je suis heureux que tu manges avec nous ce soir.
I am happy that you're eating with us tonight.
Tu es triste que je voyage sans toi.
You are sad that I'm traveling without you.
Il est étonné que tu joues aux jeux vidéos.
He is suprised that you play video games.
Nous sommes ravis que tu arrives demain.
We are pleased that you arrive tomorrow.
Hey, what's up with those red subjects?
Ah, glad you asked!
Le subjonctif can be used when the following conditions are applied:
1. You are using un verbe de sentiment (feelings verbs), like:
- être heureux(euse)
- être triste
- être étonné(e)
- être ravi(e)
- être fâché(e)
- être choqué(e)
- être content(e)
- Etc.
2. You added the pronoun que, after your first verb.
3. You are using two different subjects in your sentence.
Le subjonctif can be translated many different ways in other languages.