French/Grammar/Moods/Subjunctive

Usage of the Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive mood is used to express subjectivity, as opposed to objectivity.

Use	Example	English
Wills, wishes, or advice	Il faut que nous parlions.	It is necessary that we speak.
Emotions regarding something	Nous sommes tristes que vous ne reussissiez à l'examen.	We are sad that you did not pass the test.
Doubts, opinions, or probabilities	Il est impossible que je sois incorrect.	It is impossible that I am wrong.
Commands or wishes in the third person	Que Dieu nous bénisse.	May God bless us.

The subjunctive usually appears with que, which means that.

Concepts :	Present participle · Past participle · Gérondif · Infinitive · Past infinitive · Auxiliary verb · Perfect tenses
Indicative mood :	Simple tenses (Present · Imperfect · Past historic · Future) · Perfect tenses (Present perfect · Pluperfect · Past anterior · Future anterior) · Other tenses (Recent past · Near future)
Subjunctive mood :	Present · Imperfect · Past · Pluperfect
Imperative mood :	Present · Past
Conditional mood :	Present · Past · Second form of the past

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