The subjunctive is a verb form which is used to report to reveal the speaker’s attitude towards the facts rather than to describe the facts.
It is used after constructions expressing notions such as doubt, need, possibility, wishing, feeling, opinion or hypothesis.
While it is only used in a handful of set expressions in English such as if I were you, in French it is very common and used in all forms of language, informal as well as formal.
Use in que clauses
The subjunctive is used in three main contexts after subordinate clauses introduced by que:
1 When the main clause expresses an idea of uncertainty (ranging from possibility, via improbability, to impossibility).
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il est possible que |
It is possible that |
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il y a des chances que |
It is possible that |
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il se peut que |
It is possible that |
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il est peu probable que |
It is unlikely that |
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il y a peu de chances que |
It is unlikely that |
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il n’est pas question que |
There is no chance that |
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il est impossible que |
It is impossible that |
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Il est possible qu’il ait été au bureau mercredi |
It’s possible that he was in the office on Wednesday |
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Il n’est guère probable qu’elle ait dit ça |
It’s hardly likely that she said that |
EXCEPTION : Il est probable qu’il vient. It’s likely that she comes
2 When the main clause expresses an idea of personal will (including wishing, prefering, needing and commanding).
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il faut que |
it is necessary that |
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Il faut que tu viennes immédiatement |
You must come immediately |
Exception : espérer
J’espère que tout ira bien. I hope every thing will be alright.
3 When the main clause expresses a sense of personal interpretation (involving emotional feelings and opinions):
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avoir peur / craindre que |
to be afraid that |
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être content / heureux que |
to be happy that |
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il est dommage que |
it’s a shame that |
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il est / n’est pas normal que |
it’s right / not right that |
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il est utile / urgent que |
It’s lucky / urgent that |
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il est temps / juste que |
It’s time / fair that |
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peu importe que |
It doesn’t matter that |
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il vaut mieux que |
It would be better that |
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Je regrette qu’il n’ait pas été au bureau |
I’m sorry he wasn’t in the office on Wednesday |
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Il a fait cela par crainte qu’elle ne sache qu’il n’était pas au bureau mercredi |
He did this out of fear of her knowing that he wasn’t in the office on Wednesday |
