The Subjunctive Mood Flashcards

1
Q

When do you use the subjunctive mood?

A

For verbs of:
- desire
- obligation
- doubt
- necessity
- wish
- impossibility
- obligation
- uncertainty
- possibility
- feeling

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2
Q

Acronym for the subjunctive mood

A

Use the subjunctive after WEIRDO

W - verbs of WISHING/WANTING that
E - verbs of EMOTION (that)
I - impersonal expressions (necessary THAT)
R - verbs of REQUESTING/REQUIRING that
D - verbs of DOUBTING (that)
O - Loads of others

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3
Q

REGULAR FORMS

A
  • careful with IR and RE verbs

1) Take the 3rd person plural (ils/elles form)
2) Remove the -ent
ils parl(ent), ils finiss(ent)/ils vend(ent)
3) Add the endings
- e, -es, -e, ions, -iez, -ent

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4
Q

IRREGULAR FORMS WORTH LEARNING

A

Aller
Avoir
Être
Faire
Falloir
Pouvoir
Savoir
Venir / Devenir / Revenir / Tenir / Obtenir
Vouloir

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5
Q

Aller

A

Je (aille)
Tu (ailles)
Il / Elle / On (aille)
Nous (allions)
Vous (alliez)
Ils / Elles (aillent)

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6
Q

Avoir

A

Je (aie)
Tu (aies)
Il / Elle / On (ait)
Nous (ayons)
Vous (ayez)
Ils / Elles (aient)

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7
Q

Être

A

Je (sois)
Tu (sois)
Il / Elle / On (soit)
Nous (soyons)
Vous (soyez)
Ils / Elles (soient)

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8
Q

Faire

A

Je (fasse)
Tu (fasses)
Il / Elle / On (fasse)
Nous (fassions)
Vous (fassiez)
Ils / Elles (fassent)

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9
Q

Falloir

A

Je (faille)
Tu (faille)
Il / Elle / On (faille)
Nous (faille)
Vous (faille)
Ils / Elles (faille)

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10
Q

Pouvoir

A

Je (puisse)
Tu (puisses)
Il / Elle / On (puisse)
Nous (puissions)
Vous (puissiez)
Ils / Elles (puissent)

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11
Q

Savoir

A

Je (sache)
Tu (saches)
Il / Elle / On (sache)
Nous (sachions)
Vous (sachiez)
Ils / Elles (sachent)

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12
Q

Venir

A

Je (vienne)
Tu (viennes)
Il / Elle / On (vienne)
Nous (venions)
Vous (veniez)
Ils / Elles (viennent)

FOR:
devenir (to become)
revenir (to come back)
tenir (to hold/keep) - write ‘t’ in place of ‘v’
obtenir - to obtain

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13
Q

Vouloir

A

Je (veuille)
Tu (veuilles)
Il / Elle / On (veuille)
Nous (voulions)
Vous (vouliez)
Ils / Elles (veuillent)

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14
Q

W of Weirdo

A

W - after verbs of WISHING/WANTING that

When you wish/hope/want/desire/prefer THAT somebody else / something else happens

QUE sets off the subjunctive

Je veux que nous aidions les pauvres
I want us to help poor people

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15
Q

E of Weirdo

A

E - after verbs of EMOTION (that)

Avoir honte que - to be ashamed (that)
Avoir peur que * - to be afraid that
Craindre que * - to fear that
Être content que - to be happy that
Être surpris que - to be surprised that
S’étonner que - to be surprised that
Regretter que - to regret that
Être triste que - to be sad that

(*+ne) - e.g. J’ai peur qu’il ne soit trop tard

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16
Q

I of Weirdo

A

I - impersonal expressions (necessary THAT)

Il faut QUE - it is necessary that
Il est nécessaire QUE - it is necessary that
Il est urgent QUE - it is urgent that
Il est important QUE - it is important that
Il est essentiel QUE - it is essential that
Il se peut QUE - it is possible that
Il vaut mieux QUE - it is better that
Il est grand temps QUE - it is high time that

17
Q

R of Weirdo

A

R - after verbs of REQUESTING/REQUIRING that (and giving permission)

Défendre que - to forbid that
Demander que - to ask that
Empêcher que - to prevent
Exiger que - to demand that
Insister que - to insist that
Interdire que - to forbid that
Ordonner que - to order that
Permettre que - to allow

18
Q

D of Weirdo

A

D - after verbs of DOUBTING (that) (or uncertainty)

Doubter que - to doubt that
Il est douteux que - it is doubtful that
Nier que - to deny that
Sembler que * - to seem that
Il est peu probable que - it is unlikely that
Il n’est pas certain que - it is not certain that

  • Il ME semble que cette femme EST trop naïve
19
Q

O of Weirdo

A

O - Loads of others

After certain conjunctions such as:
Afin que - in order that
Pour que - in order that
Aussitôt que - as soon as
Dès que - as soon as
Avant que - before
Bien que - although
Malgré que - although
Jusqu’à ce que - until
Pourvu que - provided that
Sans que - without
À moins que … ne - unless (the ‘ne’ has no negative value)
De peur que … ne - for fear that (the ‘ne’ has no negative value)

Quoique - although (or bien que)
Quoi que - whatever (or quelle que soit la chose que)

Examples
Quoique tu fasses …
Quoi que tu fasses …

20
Q

2 examples of irregular verbs that follow the method of forming the subjunctive

A

CONNAÎTRE - to know a person, place or thing
que je (connaisse)
que tu (connaisses)
qu’il/elle/on (connaisse)
que nous (connaissions)
que vous (connaissiez)
qu’ils/elles (connaissent)

ÉCRIRE - to write
que j’ (écrive)
que tu (écrives)
qu’il/elle/on (écrive)
que nous (écrivions)
que vous (écriviez)
qu’ils/elles (écrivent)

21
Q

Some verbs have two subjunctive stems

A

VERB / MEANING / STEM FOR je, tu, il/elle & ils/elles / STEM FOR nous & vous

VENIR / to come / VIENN- / VEN-
(DE)VENIR / to (be)come / (DE)VIENN- / (DE)VEN-
(RE)VENIR / to come (back) / (RE)VIENN- / (RE)VEN-
TENIR / to hold (on) / TIENN- / TEN-

DEVOIR / to have to (must) / DOIV- / DEV-
APERÇEVOIR / to perceive (glimpse) / APERÇOIV- / APERCEV-
RECEVOIR / to receive / REÇOIV- / RECEV

PRENDRE / to take / PRENN- / PREN-
(AP)PRENDRE / to learn / (AP)PRENN- / (AP)PREN-
(COM)PRENDRE / to understand / (COM)PRENN- / (COM)PREN-
(SUR)PRENDRE / to surprise / (SUR)PRENN- / (SUR)PREN-

BOIRE / to drink / BOIV- / BUV-

MOURIR / to die / MEUR- / MOUR

VOIR / to see / VOI- / VOY-
CROIRE / to believe / CROI- / CROY-

ESSAYER / to try / ESSAI- / ESSAY-
S’ENNUYER / to be bored / S’ENNUI- / S’ENNUY-

APPELER / to call / APPELL- / APPEL-
JETER / to throw / JETT- / JET-
MANGER / to eat / MANGE- / MANG-

ACHETER / to buy / ACHÈT- / ACHET-
PRÉFÉRER / to prefer / PRÉFÈR- / PRÉFÉR-

22
Q

Examples of impersonal expressions

A

Il est bon que - it’s good
Il est important que - it’s important
Il est impossible que - it’s impossible
Il est naturel que - it’s natural
Il est nécessaire que - it’s necessary
Il est possible que - it’s possible
Il est préférable que - it’s preferable
Il est rare que - it’s rare
Il est temps que - it’s time
Il faut que - it’s necessary
Il semble que - it’s seems
Il vaut mieux que - it’s better

23
Q

Examples of will & wishes & commands

A

Aimer mieux - to prefer
Commander - to order
Demander - to ask
Défendre - to forbid
Exiger - to demand
Interdire - to forbid
Ordonner - to order
Permettre - to permit
Préférer - to prefer
Souhaiter - to wish
Suggérer - to suggest
Vouloir - to want

24
Q

Which expressions are only considered to express doubt in the negative or the interrogative?

A

Croire que - to believe that
Espérer que - to hope that
Penser que - to think that
Être sûr(e) que - to be sure that
Être certain(e) que - to be certain that
Il est certain - it’s certain that
Il est évident - it’s obvious/evident that
Il est vrai - it’s true that
Il est probable - it’s probable that

EXAMPLES

Tu es sûr que ….
- you’re sure / there is no doubt / indicative

Tu n’es sûr que ….
- you’re not sure / there is doubt / use the subjunctive

Es-tu sûr que ….?
- if you have to ask, you’re not sure / there is doubt / use the subjunctive

25
Q

To express ‘may’ & ‘let’

A
  • subjunctive is used in 3rd person commands or wishes

Examples
- Que la Force soit avec toi (may the force be with you)
- Vive le prof de français (long live the French tecaher)

26
Q

After ‘attendre que’ and ‘en attendant que’

A

Examples

J’attendrai que tu viennes chez moi
- I’ll wait till you come to my house

En attendant que tu reviennes …
- Until you come back …

27
Q

After superlative expressions expressing opinion

A
  • the subjunctive is used after superlative expressions only when these expressions show opinion, emotion or exaggeration

Example

Hamilton est la meilleure pièce que vous puissiez voir
- Hamilton is the best play you can see

28
Q

Hypothesizing about something (someone) ideal

A
  • the subjunctive is used to hypothesize about the existence of something or someone ideal rather than real

Example
Je cherche quelqu’un qui soit aussi sensible dans la vraie vie que les hommes interprétes par Ryan Gosling dans ses films
- I’m looking for someone who is as sensitive in real life as the men portrayed by Ryan Gosling in his films