verbs (subjunctive present tense)

Question 1

What is the subjunctive present tense used for?

Answer 1

The subjunctive is a special verb form, called a mood, that is used in dependent clauses to indicate some sort of subjectivity, uncertainty, or unreality in the mind of the speaker. In French, feelings like doubt and desire require the subjunctive, as do expressions of necessity, possibility, and judgment.

Question 2

How are all regular -er, -ir & -re and many irregular French verbs conjugated in the subjunctive present tense?

Answer 2

Remove the ‘ent’ from the present tense ils form to create a stem, then add the following endings:-

• je - e nous - ions
• tu - es vous - iez
• il/elle/on - eils/elles - ent

e.g. Parler ….. ils parlent ... je parle

Question 3

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for regular -er verb: parler ?

Answer 3

Parler - to speak

• je parle nous parlions
• tu parles vous parliez
• il/elle/on parle ils/elles parlent

Question 4

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for regular -ier verb: étudier ?

Answer 4

Étudier - to study

• j’étudie nous étudiions
• tu étudie vous étudiiez
• il/elle/on étudie ils/elles étudient

Question 5

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for regular -cer verb: effacer ?

Answer 5

Effacer - to erase

• j’efface nous effacions
• tu effaces vous effaciez
• il/elle/on efface ils/elles effacent

​n.b. A circumflex under the c is not required.

Question 6

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for regular -ger verb: manger ?

Answer 6

Manger - to eat

• je mange nous mangions
• tu manges vous mangiez
• il/elle/on/ mange ils/elles mangent

Question 7

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for regular -ir verb: finir?

Answer 7

Finir - to finish

• je finisse nous finissions
• tu finisses vous finissiez
• il/elle/on finisse ils/elles finissent

Question 8

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: courir?

Answer 8

Courir - to run

• je coure nous courions
• tu coures vous couriez
• il/elle/on coure ils/elles courent

Question 9

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: devoir?

Answer 9

Devoir - to have to

• je doive nous devions
• tu doives vous deviez
• il/elle/on doive ils/elles doivent

N.B. The endings remain the same, but the stem is doiv in the 1st/2nd/3rd person singular and 3rd person plural.

Question 10

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: mourir?

Answer 10

Mourir - to die

• je meure nous mourions
• tu meures vous mouriez
• il/elle/on meure ils/elles meurent

Question 11

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: ouvrir?

Answer 11

Ouvrir - to open

• j’ouvre nous ouvrions
• tu ouvres vous ouvriez
• il/elle/on ouvre ils/elles ouvrent

Question 12

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: partir?

Answer 12

Partir - to leave

• je parte nous partions
• tu partes vous partiez
• il/elle/on parte ils/elles partent

Question 13

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular verb: pouvoir ?

Answer 13

Pouvoir - to be able to

• je puisse nous puissions
• tu puisses vous puissiez
• il/elle/on puisse ils/elles puissent

Question 14

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: recevoir?

Answer 14

Recevoir - to receive

• je reçoive nous recevions
• tu reçoive vous receviez
• il/elle/on reçoive ils/elles reçoivent

Question 15

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: savoir?

Answer 15

Savoir - to know

• je sache nous sachions
• tu saches vous sachiez
• il/elle/on sache ils/elles sachent

Question 16

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: valoir?

Answer 16

Valoir - to be worth

• je vaille nous valions
• tu vailles vous valiez
• il/elle/on vaille ils/elles vaillent

Question 17

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: venir?

Answer 17

Venir - to come

• je vienne nous venions
• tu viennes vous veniez
• il/elle/on vienne ils/elles vienent

Question 18

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: voir?

Answer 18

Voir - to see

• je voie nous voyions
• tu voies vous voyiez
• il/elle/on voie ils/elles voient

Question 19

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -ir verb: vouloir?

Answer 19

Vouloir - to want to

• je veuille nous voulions
• tu veuilles vous vouliez
• il/elle/on veuille ils/elles veuillent​

Question 20

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for regular -re verb: vendre?

Answer 20

Vendre - to sell

• je vende nous vendions
• tu vendes vous vendiez
• il/elle/on vende ils/elles vendent

Question 21

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: rompre?

Answer 21

Rompre - to break up

• je rompe nous rompions
• tu rompes vous rompiez
• il/elle/on rompe ils/elles rompent

Question 22

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: cuire?

Answer 22

Cuire - to bake

• je cuise nous cuisions
• tu cuisses vous cuisiez
• il/elle/on cuisse ils/elles cuisent

Question 23

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: conduire?

Answer 23

Conduire - to drive

• je conduise nous conduisions
• tu conduises vous conduisiez
• il/elle/on conduise ils/elles conduisent

Question 24

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: écrire?

Answer 24

Écrire - to write

• j’écrive nous écrivions
• tu écrives vous écriviez
• il/elle/on écrive ils/elles écrivent

Question 25

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: construire?

Answer 25

_Construire - to build_ * je construis**e** nous construis**ions** * tu construis**es** vous construis**iez** * il/elle/on construis**e** ils/elles construis**ent**

Question 26

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: dire?

Answer 26

_Dire - to say_ * je dis**e** nous dis**ions** * tu dis**es** vous dis**iez** * il/elle/on dis**e** ils/elles dis**ent**

Question 27

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: interdire?

Answer 27

_Interdire - to forbid_ * j'interdis**e** nous interdis**ions** * tu interdis**es** vous interdis**iez** * il/elle/on interdis**e** ils/elles interdis**ent**

Question 28

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: introduire?

Answer 28

_Introduire - to introduce_ * j'introduis**e** nous introduis**ions** * tu introduis**es** vous introduis**iez** * il/elle/on introduis**e** ils/elles introduis**ent**

Question 29

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: lire?

Answer 29

_Lire - to read_ * je lis**e** nous lis**ions** * tu lis**es** vous lis**iez** * il/elle/on lis**e** ils/elles lis**ent**

Question 30

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: produire?

Answer 30

_Produire - to produce_ * je produis**e** nous produis**ions** * tu produis**es** vous produis**iez** * il/elle/on produis**e**ils/elles produis**ent**

Question 31

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular -re verb: traduire?

Answer 31

_Traduire - to translate_ * je traduis**e** nous traduis**ions** * tu traduis**es** vous traduis**iez** * il/elle/on traduis**e** ils/elles traduis**ent**

Question 32

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular verb: aller ?

Answer 32

_Aller - to go_ * j'aill**e** nous aill**ons** * tu aill**es** vous aill**ez** * il/elle/on aill**e** ils/elles aill**ent**

Question 33

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular verb: avoir ?

Answer 33

_Avoir - to have_ * j'ai**e** nous ay**ons** * tu ai**es** vous ay**ez** * il/elle/on ai**t** ils/elles ai**ent**

Question 34

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular verb: être ?

Answer 34

_Être - to be_ * je soi**s** nous soy**ons** * tu soi**s** vous soy**ez** * il/elle/on soi**t** ils/elles soi**ent**

Question 35

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for irregular verb: faire ?

Answer 35

_Faire - to do_ * je fass**e** nous fass**ions** * tu fass**es** vous fass**iez** * il/elle/on fass**e** ils/elles fass**ent**

Question 36

What is the subjunctive present tense conjugation for reflexive -re verb: se laver?

Answer 36

_Se laver - to wash_ * je me lav**e** nous nous lav**ions** * tu te lav**e** vous vous lav**iez** * il/elle/on se lav**e** ils/elles se lav**ent**