Neues Konzept
A mood, not a tense
Almost every verb you've used so far has stated something as fact — that's the indicative. The subjunctive (le subjonctif) is the mood for things that are needed, wanted, felt or doubted rather than stated. It almost always follows que, after a trigger in the first half of the sentence:
| Trigger | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Il faut que… | … must, … have to | Il faut que tu viennes. — You have to come. |
| Je veux que… | I want … to | Je veux que tu sois là. — I want you to be there. |
| J'aimerais que… | I'd like … to | J'aimerais que tu fasses ta tarte. — I'd like you to make your tart. |
| Je suis content(e) que… | I'm glad that… | Je suis contente que tu viennes. — I'm glad you're coming. |
| Bien que… | although | Bien qu'il fasse froid, on sort. — Although it's cold, we're going out. |
| Pour que… | so that | Je parle lentement pour que tu comprennes. — I'm speaking slowly so that you understand. |
English says I want you to come; French can't. It's always je veux que tu viennes. But when the subject stays the same, use the infinitive: Je veux venir. — I want to come.