The present subjunctive - using in a sentence - Other French verb forms - GCSE French Revision - Edexcel (for exams until 2025)

The present subjunctive - using in a sentence

Using the present subjunctive

Use the subjunctive when a person wants someone else to do something, eg, I want him to go home. It can also be used to express thoughts, possibility or necessity.

Common verb structures that take the subjunctive include:

Phrase	English	Example
vouloir que	to want (someone to do something)	Ma mère veut que je fasse mes devoirs. - My mother wants me to do (wants that I do) my homework.
il faut que	it’s necessary that	Il faut que tu ailles au collège. – It is necessary that you go to school / You have to go to school.
il est important que	it is important that	Il est important que nous soyons là. – It is important that we are there.
il est possible que	it’s possible that	Il est possible que tu réussisses tes examens. – It’s possible that you’ll pass your exams.
être content/triste que	to be happy/sad that	Je suis tellement content que tu fasses de ton mieux. – I’m so happy that you are doing your best.
penser (with ne … pas)	to not think	Tu ne penses pas que ce soit vrai. – You don’t think it’s true.

Phrase	vouloir que
English	to want (someone to do something)
Example	Ma mère veut que je fasse mes devoirs. - My mother wants me to do (wants that I do) my homework.

Phrase	il faut que
English	it’s necessary that
Example	Il faut que tu ailles au collège. – It is necessary that you go to school / You have to go to school.

Phrase	il est important que
English	it is important that
Example	Il est important que nous soyons là. – It is important that we are there.

Phrase	il est possible que
English	it’s possible that
Example	Il est possible que tu réussisses tes examens. – It’s possible that you’ll pass your exams.

Phrase	être content/triste que
English	to be happy/sad that
Example	Je suis tellement content que tu fasses de ton mieux. – I’m so happy that you are doing your best.

Phrase	penser (with ne … pas)
English	to not think
Example	Tu ne penses pas que ce soit vrai. – You don’t think it’s true.

Other structures that take the subjunctive include:

pour que	so that	Mes parents travaillent beaucoup pour que je puisse aller à l’université. – My parents work hard so that I can go to university.
bien que	even though, although	Je voudrais acheter cette jupe, bien qu’elle soit chère. – I would like to buy this skirt, even though it’s expensive.
sans que	without	Les enfants jouent aux jeux en ligne sans que leurs parents le sachent. – The children are playing online games without their parents knowing.

pour que

so that

Mes parents travaillent beaucoup pour que je puisse aller à l’université. – My parents work hard so that I can go to university.

bien que

even though, although

Je voudrais acheter cette jupe, bien qu’elle soit chère. – I would like to buy this skirt, even though it’s expensive.

sans que

without

Les enfants jouent aux jeux en ligne sans que leurs parents le sachent. – The children are playing online games without their parents knowing.

Choose the correct form of the subjunctive.

Question

Il est possible que ce [sois/soit/soient] une bonne idée.

Question

Elles veulent aller au Canada, bien qu’elles n’[aie/ayons/aient] pas le temps.

Question

Il faut que vous [mangez/mangiez/manger] beaucoup de légumes.

Next up

Watch a video

Other French verb formsThe present subjunctive - using in a sentence