1. Education
About.com
French Language

French Subjunctive - Subjonctif

By , About.com Guide

4 of 8

French subjunctive: Opinion, possibility, doubt
Verbs and expressions of doubt, possibility, supposition, and opinion

accepter que   to accept

s'attendre à ce que   to expect

chercher ... qui*   to look for

détester que   to hate

douter que**   to doubt that

il est convenable que   it is proper/fitting that

il est douteux que**   it is doubtful that

il est faux que   it is false that

il est impossible que   it is impossible that

il est improbable que   it is improbable that

il est juste que   it is right/fair that

il est possible que   it is possible that

il est peu probable que   it is improbable that

il n'est pas certain que   it is not certain that

il n'est pas clair que   it is not clear that

il n'est pas évident que   it is not obvious that

il n'est pas exact que   it is not correct that

il n'est pas probable que   it is improbable that

il n'est pas sûr que   it is not certain that

il n'est pas vrai que   it is not true that

il semble que   it seems that

il se peut que   it may be that

le fait que   the fact that

nier que***   to deny that

refuser que   to refuse

supposer que   to suppose, hypothesize


*When you are looking for someone who may not exist, that indicates doubt and therefore requires the subjunctive:

   Je cherche un homme qui sache la vérité.
   I'm looking for a man who knows the truth.


**These do not take the subjunctive when they are used negatively:

   Je doute qu'il vienne, Je ne doute pas qu'il vient.
   I doubt he's coming, I don't doubt he's coming.


***When nier is in the negative, it's followed by the ne explétif:

   Il n'a pas nié qu'elle ne soit partie.
   He didn't deny that she left.


Does ___ need the subjunctive? Find out with the Subjunctivator! | Subjunctive quiz

©2013 About.com. All rights reserved.