The Subjunctive is not a tense; it's a mood. It triggers when we express necessity, doubt, or judgment.
The most common trigger is:
When you say this, the next verb MUST use the subjunctive endings.
A boss giving orders to an employee.
Il faut que tu finisses ce rapport avant midi.
(It is necessary that you finish this report before noon.)D'accord. Il faut que j'envoie un email aussi ?
(Okay. Is it necessary that I send an email too?)Non, ce n'est pas nécessaire. Mais il faut que tu sois précis.
(No, it's not necessary. But you must be precise.)The Subjunctive is called "Subjective" because it reflects how the speaker feels about the action, rather than the action itself. If you state a cold hard fact ("It is true that..."), use Indicative. If you express a feeling ("It is sad that...") or a necessity ("It is vital that..."), use Subjunctive.
Click the phrase to see if it triggers the Subjunctive Mode.
(It is necessary that...)
(I think that...)
(It is important that...)
(I know that...)
(I doubt that...)
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