LE S0B}ECTIvE

The subjunctive moou is useu to expiess actions oi iueas which aie subjective oi
otheiwise unceitain: willwanting, emotion, uoubt, possibility, necessity,
juugment. It is neaily always founu in uepenuent clauses intiouuceu by !"# oi
!"$, anu the subjects of the uepenuent anu main clauses aie usually uiffeient.

%# '#"( !"# )" *# +,--#-.
I want you to uo it.

/* +,") !"# 01"- 2,3)$10-.
it is necessaiy that we leave.

veibs anu expiessions which expiess someone's will, an oiuei, a neeu, a piece of
auvice, oi a uesiie iequiie the subjunctive.

,$4#3 4$#"( !"# to like bettei to piefei that

5144,06#3 !"# to oiuei that

6#4,06#3 !"# to ask (someone to uo something)

67-$3#3 !"# to uesiie that

6100#3 *81363# !"# to oiuei that

#4295:#3 !"#; to pievent (someone fiom uoing something)

7'$)#3 !"#; to avoiu

#($<#3 !"# to uemanu that

$* #-) = -1":,$)#3 !"# it is to be hopeu that

$* #-) #--#0)$#* !"# it is essential that

$* #-) $4213),0) !"# it is impoitant that

$* #-) 0,)"3#* !"# it is natuial that

$* #-) 075#--,$3# !"# it is necessaiy that

$* #-) 0134,* !"# it is noimal that

$* #-) )#42- !"# it is time that

$* #-) "3<#0) !"# it is uigent that

$* +,") !"# it is necessaiy that

$* ',") 4$#"( !"# it is bettei that

$0)#36$3# !"# to foibiu that

-81221-#3 !"# to oppose that

136100#3 !"# to oiuei that

2#34#))3# !"# to peimit that

237+73#3 !"# to piefei that

23121-#3 !"# to piopose that

3#5144,06#3 !"# to iecommenu

-1":,$)#3 !"# to wish that

-"<<73#3 !"# to suggest that

)#0$3 = 5# !"# to insist that

'1"*1$3 !"# to want that

veibs anu expiessions of emotion oi feeling - feai, happiness, angei, iegiet,
suipiise, oi any othei sentiments - iequiie the subjunctive.

,613#3 !"# to love that

,$4#3 !"# to like that

,22375$#3 !"# to appieciate that

,'1$3 :10)# !"# to be ashameu that

,'1$3 2#"3 !"#* to be afiaiu that

53,$063# !"#* to feai that

672*13#3 !"# to ueploie that

67)#-)#3 !"# to hate that

9)3# 510)#0) !"# to be happy that

9)3# 67-1*7 !"# to be soiiy that

9)3# 7)1007 !"# to be amazeu that

9)3# :#"3#"( !"# to be happy that

9)3# -"323$- !"# to be suipiiseu that

9)3# )3$-)# !"# to be sau that

$* #-) >$?,33# !"# it is ouu that

$* #-) >10 !"# it is goou that

$* #-) 6144,<# !"# it is too bau that

$* #-) 7)100,0) !"# it is amazing that

$* #-) 7)3,0<# !"# it is stiange that

$* #-) :#"3#"( !"# it is foitunate that

$* #-) :10)#"( !"# it is shameful that

$* #-) $0")$*# !"# it is useless that

$* #-) 3,3# !"# it is iaie that

$* #-) 3#<3#)),>*# !"# it is iegiettable that

$* #-) -"323#0,0) !"# it is suipiising that

$* #-) ")$*# !"# it is useful that

3#61")#3 !"#* to uieau that

3#<3#))#3 !"# to iegiet that

-# 37@1"$3 !"# to be uelighteu that
veibs anu expiessions of uoubt, possibility, supposition, anu opinion

,55#2)#3 !"# to accept

-8,))#063# = 5# !"# to expect

5:#35:#3 ... !"$* to look foi

67)#-)#3 !"# to hate

61")#3 !"#** to uoubt that

$* #-) 510'#0,>*# !"# it is piopeifitting that

$* #-) 61")#"( !"#** it is uoubtful that

$* #-) +,"( !"# it is false that

$* #-) $421--$>*# !"# it is impossible that

$* #-) $4231>,>*# !"# it is impiobable that

$* #-) @"-)# !"# it is iightfaii that

$* #-) 21--$>*# !"# it is possible that

$* #-) 2#" 231>,>*# !"# it is impiobable that

$* 08#-) 2,- 5#3),$0 !"# it is not ceitain that

$* 08#-) 2,- 5*,$3 !"# it is not cleai that

$* 08#-) 2,- 7'$6#0) !"# it is not obvious that

$* 08#-) 2,- #(,5) !"# it is not coiiect that

$* 08#-) 2,- 231>,>*# !"# it is impiobable that

$* 08#-) 2,- -A3 !"# it is not ceitain that

$* 08#-) 2,- '3,$ !"# it is not tiue that

$* -#4>*# !"# it seems that

$* -# 2#") !"# it may be that

*# +,$) !"# the fact that

0$#3 !"#*** to ueny that

3#+"-#3 !"# to iefuse

-"221-#3 !"# to suppose, hypothesize


*When you aie looking foi someone who may not exist, that inuicates uoubt anu
theiefoie iequiies the subjunctive:

%# 5:#35:# "0 :144# !"$ -,5:# *, '73$)7.
I'm looking foi a man who knows the tiuth.


**These uo not take the subjunctive when they aie useu negatively:

%# 61")# !"8$* '$#00#B %# 0# 61")# 2,- !"8$* '$#0).
I uoubt he's coming, I uon't uoubt he's coming.
The following veibs anu expiessions uo not take the subjunctive when they aie
useu in the affiimative, because they expiess facts which aie consiueieu ceitain -
at least in the speakei's minu. When negative oi inteiiogatoiy, they iequiie the
subjunctive:

58#-) !"# it's thatbecause

5100,C)3# D!"#*!"8"0E !"$ to know (someone) that

531$3# !"# to believe that

6$3# !"# to say that

#-273#3 !"# to hope that

9)3# 5#3),$0 !"# to be ceitain that

9)3# -A3 !"# to be suie that

$* #-) 5#3),$0 !"# it is ceitain that

$* #-) 5*,$3 !"# it is cleaiobvious that

$* #-) 7'$6#0) !"# it is obvious that

$* #-) 231>,>*# !"# it is piobable that

$* #-) #(,5) !"# it is coiiecttiue that

$* #-) -A3 !"# it is ceitain that

$* #-) '3,$ !"# it is tiue that

$* 4# D)#B *"$...E -#4>*# !"# it seems to me (you, him...) that

$* 2,3,C) !"# it appeais that

2#0-#3 !"# to think that

-,'1$3 !"# to know that

)31"'#3 !"# to finuthink that

'1"*1$3 6$3# !"# to mean that


F#0-#-G)" !"8$* -1$) -H42, I J"$B @# 2#0-# !"8$* #-) -H42,B K10B @# 0# 2#0-# 2,- !"8$*
-1$) -H42,.
Bo you think he's nice. Yes, I think he's nice. No, I uon't think he's nice.
A numbei of Fiench conjunctive phiases iequiie the subjunctive:

= 5106$)$10 !"# pioviueu that

= 41$0- !"#* unless

= -"221-#3 !"# assuming that

,+$0 !"# so that

,',0) !"#* befoie

>$#0 !"# although

6# 53,$0)# !"#* foi feai that

6# +,L10 !"# so that, in oiuei that, in such a way that

6# 4,0$M3# !"# so that

6# 2#"3 !"#* foi feai that

6# -13)# !"# so that

#0 ,64#)),0) !"# assuming that

#0 ,))#06,0) !"# while, until

#0513# !"# even though

@"-!"8= 5# !"# until

21"3 !"# so that

21"3'" !"# pioviueu that

!"1$!"# even though

!"1$ !"# whatevei, no mattei what

-,0- !"#* without

*These conjunctions aie followeu by the ne expltif:

N,0<#10- ,',0) !"# 01"- 0# 2,3)$10-.
Let's eat befoie we leave.


0n the othei hanu, the following conjunctions uo not take the subjunctive,
because they expiess facts which aie consiueieu ceitain:

,$0-$ !"# just as, so as

,*13- !"# while, wheieas

,23M- !"#** aftei, when

,"--$)O) !"#** as soon as

5,3 since, because

#0 494# )#42- !"# at the same time that

6#2"$- !"# since

6M- !"#** as soon as, immeuiately

*13-!"#** when

2,35# !"# because

2#06,0) !"# while

2*")O) !"# insteau of, iathei than

2"$-!"# since, as

!",06** when

),06$- !"# while, wheieas

"0# +1$- !"#** once

**These conjunctions aie followeu by the futuie tense in Fiench, even though in
English we use the piesent tense.

N,0<#10- !",06 $* ,33$'#3,.
Let's eat when he aiiives.
In a suboiuinate clause with the negative pionouns 0# ... 2#3-100# oi 0# ... 3$#0, oi
the inuefinite pionouns !"#*!"8"0 oi !"#*!"# 5:1-#.

%# 0# 5100,$- 2#3-100# !"$ '#"$**# 48,$6#3.
I uon't know anyone who wants to help me.

/* 08H , 3$#0 !"# 01"- 2"$--$10- +,$3#.
Theie's nothing that we can uo.

P ,G)G$* !"#*!"8"0 !"$ 2"$--# 48,$6#3 I
Is theie someone who can help me.

%8,$4#3,$- $0'#0)#3 !"#*!"# 5:1-# !"$ +,--# "0# 6$++73#05#.
I'u like to invent something that will make a uiffeience.

Aftei main clauses which contain aujectives like 23$05$2,*, -#"*, "0$!"#, 23#4$#3,
6#30$#3, oi any supeilative, the subjunctive is optional - it uepenus on how
conciete the speakei feels about what is being saiu.

Q7*M0# #-) *, -#"*# 2#3-100# !"$ 2"$--# 01"- ,$6#3.
Blene is the only peison who can help us.
(Blene may be the only peison I think can help us, but theie may be otheis.)

Q7*M0# #-) *, -#"*# 2#3-100# !"# @# '1$-.
Blene is the only peison I see.
(No subjunctive, because I know this foi a fact - I only see Blene.)

R8#-) *# 4#$**#"3 *$'3# !"# @8,$# 2" )31"'#3.
That's the best book I coulu finu.
(But it's not necessaiily the best that exists.)

R8#-) *# 4#$**#"3 *$'3# !"# @8,$ 753$).
That's the best book I've wiitten.
(I wiote thiee, anu I know foi a fact that this is the best one.)


Pronoun Function(s) Possible Translations

Qui

Subject
Indirect object (person)
who, what
which, that, whom

Que Direct object whom, what, which, that

Lequel Indirect object (thing) what, which, that

Dont

Object of de
Indicate possession
of which, from which, that
whose

O Indicate place or time when, where, which, that

S"$ anu !"# aie the most often confuseu ielative pionouns, piobably because
one of the fiist things Fiench stuuents leain is that !"$ means "who" anu !"#
means "that" oi "what." In fact, this is not always the case. The choice between
!"$ anu !"# as a ielative pionoun has nothing to uo with the meaning in English,
anu eveiything to uo with how the woiu is useu; that is, what pait of the
sentence it is ieplacing.

S"# ieplaces the !"#$%& ()*$%& (peison oi thing) in the uepenuent clause.

%8,$ ,5:#)7 *# *$'3#. N, -T"3 !", 753$).
U %8,$ ,5:#)7 *# *$'3# #$% 4, -T"3 , 753$).
I bought the book (&+,&) my sistei wiote.

JV :,>$)# *# 2#$0)3# I %# !",$ '" ,"@1"368:"$.
U JV :,>$)# *# 2#$0)3# #$% @8,$ '" ,"@1"368:"$ I
Wheie uoes the paintei (-+(.) I saw touay live.


S"$ ieplaces the /0)*$%& (peison oi thing) in the uepenuent clause.

%# 5:#35:# *8,3)$-)#. &! 7)"6$# = F,3$-.
> %# 5:#35:# *8,3)$-)# #$' 7)"6$# = F,3$-.
I'm looking foi the aitist (-+( is) stuuying in Paiis.

W31"'#? *# 5:,). &! :,>$)# 6,0- *, 5,'#.
> W31"'#? *# 5:,) #$' :,>$)# 6,0- *, 5,'#.
Finu the cat &+,& lives in the basement.

S"$ also ieplaces an "1!"#$%& ()*$%& iefeiiing to a peison* aftei a pieposition,**
incluuing piepositions which aie iequiieu aftei a given veib oi expiession.

%# '1$- "0# 6,4#. %# )3,',$**# ,'#5 (%))% +,-%.
%# '1$- "0# 6,4# ,'#5 #$' @# )3,',$**#.
I see a woman with -+(. I woik. (I see a woman I woik with.)

X, +$**# = #$' @8,$ 2,3*7 #-) )3M- -H42,):$!"#.
The giil to -+(. I spoke is veiy nice. (The giil |&+,&j |-+(.j I spoke to...)

X87)"6$,0) 510)3# #$' @# 4# -"$- ,--$-...
The stuuent next to -+(. I sat... (The stuuent |&+,&j I sat next to...)

X#!"#* oi one of its vaiiations ieplaces an "1!"#$%& ()*$%& iefeiiing to a thing*
aftei a pieposition,** incluuing piepositions which aie iequiieu aftei a given
veib oi expiession.

X# *$'3# 6,0- !%#$%! @8,$ 753$) 410 014...
The book in -+"%+ I wiote my name...

X#- $67#- ,$.#$%!!%/ @8,$ 2#0-7...
The iueas &+,& I thought ,)(0&...

X, '$**# 0 !,#$%!!% @# -10<#...
The town ,)(0& -+"%+ I'm uieaming...

X# 5$074, 23M- +$#$%!;;; 01"- ,'10- 4,0<7...
The theatei neai -+"%+ we ate..., The theatei (&+,&) we ate neai...

*If the object of the pieposition is a peison, you neeu qui.

**Except 6# - see uont

***Bow uo you know whethei to use 610) oi 6"!"#*. You neeu 610) when the
pieposition is 6# by itself. You neeu 6"!"#* when 6# is pait of a piepositional
phiase, such as 23M- 6#, = 5O)7 6#, #0 +,5# 6#, etc.

Y10) ieplaces any peison oi thing aftei ue:

JV #-) *# 3#L" I %8,$ >#-1$0 6" 3#L".
U JV #-) *# 3#L" +12) @8,$ >#-1$0 I
Wheie is the ieceipt (&+,&) I neeu.

R8#-) *, 6,4#. %8,$ 2,3*7 6# 5#))# 6,4#.
U R8#-) *, 6,4# +12) @8,$ 2,3*7.
That's the woman about (-+(.) I talkeu. (That's the woman |&+,&j |-+(.j I
talkeu about.)


Y10) can inuicate possession:

Z1$5$ *8:144#. %8,$ )31"'7 *, ',*$-# 6# 5#) :144#.
U Z1$5$ *8:144# +12) @8,$ )31"'7 *, ',*$-#.
That's the man -+(/$ suitcase I founu.

%# 5:#35:# *# *$'3#. W" ,- ,33,5:7 "0# 2,<# 6# 5# *$'3#.
U %# 5:#35:# *# *$'3# +12) )" ,- ,33,5:7 "0# 2,<#.
I'm looking foi the book (0& (2 -+"%+ you toie a page, the book (&+,&) you toie
a page (0& (2.


Y10) can iefei to pait of a gioup:

%8,$ *" 2*"-$#"3- *$'3#- *, -#4,$0# 6#30$M3#. %8,$ *" *# )$#0.
U %8,$ *" 2*"-$#"3- *$'3#- *, -#4,$0# 6#30$M3#B +12) *# )$#0.
I ieau seveial books last week, "1%30!"14 youis.

/* , 753$) )31$- *$'3#-. Y#"( 6# -#- *$'3#- -10) 6#- >#-)G-#**#3-.
U /* , 753$) )31$- *$'3#-B +12) 6#"( -10) 6#- >#-)G-#**#3-.
Be has wiitten thiee books, two (2 -+"%+ aie best selleis.


What's the uiffeience between 610) anu 6"!"#*. You neeu 610) when the
pieposition you'ie ieplacing is 6# by itself. You neeu uuquel when 6# is pait of a
piepositional phiase, such as 23M- 6#, = 5O)7 6#, #0 +,5# 6#, etc.

You piobably alieauy know that as an inteiiogative pionoun, 1V means "wheie,"
anu that it often means "wheie" as a ielative pionoun as well:

X, >1"*,0<#3$# 13 @8,$ )3,',$**7 #-) = 5O)7 6# *, >,0!"#.
The bakeiy -+$#$ I woikeu is next to the bank. (The bakeiy |&+,&j I woikeu
at...)

[1"#0 #-) *, '$**# 13 @8:,>$)# 6#2"$- \ ,0-.
Rouen is the town -+$#$ I've liveu foi S yeais.


JV can also be useu aftei piepositions.

X# 2,H- 6813 $* '$#0)...
The countiy (-+$#$) he's fiom...

%# 5:#35:# *# '$**,<# @"-!"813 01"- ,'10- 5106"$).
I'm looking foi the village to -+"%+ we uiove.


But as a ielative pionoun, 1V has an auuitional meaning - it iefeis to the moment
in time something happeneu: "when." This can be tiicky, as Fiench stuuents tenu
to want to use the inteiiogative !",06 heie. You can't, because !",06 is not a
ielative pionoun. You must use the ielative pionoun 1V.

X"06$B 58#-) *# @1"3 13 01"- +,$-10- *#- ,5:,)-.
Nonuay is the uay (&+,&) we uo oui shopping.

X# 414#0) 13 01"- -144#- ,33$'7-...
The moment (&+,&) we aiiiveu...

R8#-) *8,007# 13 $* #-) 2,3)$
That's the yeai (&+,&) he left, That's -+$1 he left.

Theie aie foui* Fiench inuefinite ielative pionouns; each foim is useu only in a
paiticulai stiuctuie, as summaiizeu heie. Note that theie's no one-to-one
equivalent foi these woius - uepenuing on context, the English tianslation may
be what oi which:

50)*$%&
5# !"$ what

6"#$%& ()*$%&
5# !"#]!"8 what

7)*$%& (2 +%**
5# 610) which, what

7)*$%& (2 , 8#$8(/"&"(1**
!"1$ which, what

*Theie's a fifth inuefinite ielative pionoun, quiconque, but it is iaie anu
complicateu, so I auuiess it in a sepaiate lesson.

**Remembei that Fiench veibs often iequiie uiffeient piepositions than English
veibs, so you ieally neeu to be caieful with 5# 610) anu !"1$ - it's not always
obvious which one is coiiect. When theie is no pieposition, of couise, you use 5#
!"#.

Note that when the pionoun tout is useu with inuefinite ielative pionouns, it
changes the meaning to "eveiything" oi "all."


R# !"$ seives as the subject of a ielative clause anu takes the $* foim of the veib.

R# !"$ 48$0)73#--#B 58#-) *, *,0<"#.
What inteiests me is language.

^,$-G)" 5# !"$ *"$ 2*,C)I
Bo you know what pleases him.

R8#-) 5# !"$ 4# 673,0<#.
That's what botheis me.

W1") 5# !"$ >3$**# 08#-) 2,- 13.
All that glitteis is not golu.


R# !"# is useu as the inuefinite uiiect object in a ielative clause.

R# !"# @# '#"(B 58#-) 9)3# )3$*$0<"#.
What I want is to be tiilingual.

^,$-G)" 5# !"# F$#33# , +,$) I
Bo you know what Pieiie uiu.

R8#-) 5# !"# @# 67)#-)#.
That's what I hate.

W1") 5# !"8$* 753$) #-) ,4"-,0).
Eveiything he wiites is funny.


R# 610) is useu as the object of the pieposition 6#.

R# 610) @8,$ >#-1$0B 58#-) "0 >10 6$51.
What I neeu is a goou uictionaiy.

^,$-G)" 5# 610) X"5 2,3*# I
Bo you know what Pieiie is talking about.

R8#-) 5# 610) @# 4# -1"'$#0-.
That's what I iemembei.

%8,$ )1") 5# 610) @8,$ #0'$#.
I have eveiything I want.


S"1$ is the object of any pieposition except 6#.

^,$-G)" = !"1$ $* 2#0-# I
Bo you know what he's thinking about.

%8,$ 7)"6$7B ,23M- !"1$ @8,$ *".
I stuuieu, aftei which I ieau.

_'#5 !"1$ 753$)G$* I
What is he wiiting with.

R# = !"1$ @# 48,))#06-B 58#-) "0# $0'$),)$10.***
What I'm waiting foi is an invitation.

R8#-) 5# = !"1$ R:,0),* 39'#.***
That's what Chantal uieams about.

*** When = !"1$ is at the beginning of a clause oi follows 58#-), the woiu 5# is
placeu in fiont of it (5# = !"1$).