French Subjunctive - Irregular Conjugations

While not as difficult as using the French subjunctive, conjugating irregular and stem-changing verbs into the subjunctive can be a little tricky.

Stem-changing verbs and most irregular verbs follow the same pattern as regular verbs for the singular conjugations (je, tu, il/elle/on) as well as the third person plural (ils/elles): the subjunctive stem is derived from the present tense conjugation of ils.

		boire	envoyer	prendre	venir
present tense:	ils	boivent	envoient	prennent	viennent
	stem	boiv-	envoi-	prenn-	vienn-
subjunctive endings
... que je	-e	boive	envoie	prenne	vienne
... que tu	-es	boives	envoies	prennes	viennes
... qu'il/elle/on	-e	boive	envoie	prenne	vienne
... qu'ils/elles	-ent	boivent	envoient	prennent	viennent
However, the nous and vous forms of the subjunctive find their stems in the present tense conjugation of nous:
present tense:	nous	buvons	envoyons	prenons	venons
	stem	buv-	envoy-	pren-	ven-
subjunctive endings
... que nous	-ions	buvions	envoyions	prenions	venions
... que vous	-iez	buviez	envoyiez	preniez	veniez

 
This two-stem subjunctive pattern applies to all stem-changing verbs as well as all but seven irregular verbs.


Five verbs have irregular subjunctive stems but take the same endings as above:
 

		One stem				Two stems*
		faire	pouvoir	savoir		aller	vouloir
stem(s)		fass-	puiss-	sach-		aill- / all-	veuill- / voul-
... que je (j')		fasse	puisse	sache		aille	veuille
... que tu		fasses	puisses	saches		ailles	veuilles
... qu'il/elle/on		fasse	puisse	sache		aille	veuille
... que nous		fassions	puissions	sachions		allions	voulions
... que vous		fassiez	puissiez	sachiez		alliez	vouliez
... qu'ils/elles		fassent	puissent	sachent		aillent	veuillent

 
*These two verbs have different stems for je/tu/il/ils and nous/vous.


And finally, two verbs have irregular stems as well irregular endings:
 

	avoir	être
... que je (j')	aie	sois
... que tu	aies	sois
... qu'il/elle/on	ait	soit
... que nous	ayons	soyons
... que vous	ayez	soyez
... qu'ils/elles	aient	soient

 
Test on irregular subjunctive conjugations

Please scroll down for more lessons about the French subjunctive and related grammar.