French Grammar in Context

The subjunctive (present and perfect) 171

f Impersonal expressions of emotion/judgement, e.g. il est dommage que; il est bon que, also take
the subjunctive.

g Verbs expressing doubt or disbelief
A third group of verbs express doubt or disbelief, e.g. je doute qu’il veuille(lines 27–8). This
extends to verbs of thinking and saying when used negatively (and interrogatively), e.g. je ne
pense pas qu’il y en ait(line 13). But it is important to note that verbs of thinking and saying
only take the subjunctive when they are negative or interrogative. Furthermore, in spoken
French they are frequently followed by the indicative even when they are interrogative.

h Impersonal expressions of impossibility, e.g. c’est impossible que... soit(line 14); il ne semble
pas... que vous ayez(line 34) may be categorized alongside personal expressions of doubt or
disbelief.

i Conjunctions
Various types of conjunction trigger the use of the subjunctive. These include:

• concessive, e.g. bien que


• expressions of purpose, e.g. pour que


• expressions of restriction, e.g. à moins que


• expressions of fear, e.g. de peur que
  The following examples occur in the text:
  bien que de multiples raisons puissent exister(lines 5–6)
  pour que se constituent(lines 23–4; also 30–1; 37)
  à moins que deux V. n’existent(line 15)
  de peur que le gamin ne finisse(lines 26–7)
  For further types of conjunction which trigger the subjunctive, see Discover more about the
  present subjunctive, 1e, below.
  Note that in careful written French,neusually follows bothà moins queandde peur que.It
  does not make the verb negative. Contrast:de peur que le gamin n’arrive= for fear that the kid
  will arrive... withde peur que le gamin n’arrive pas... = for fear that the kid will not arrive....

j Where a trigger (either verb or conjunction) is followed by a sequence of two or more verbs,
que/qu’must be repeated before each verb, and each verb must be in the subjunctive, e.g. j’ai
peur que mon indiscrétion ne lui paraisse étrange, qu’il ne s’en alarme, et même qu’elle ne le fasse
fuir. .. (lines 8–9). See also il suffit que. .. (lines 20–3).

2 AVOIDANCE OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE

Where the subject of the verb is the same in both halves of the sentence, it is necessary to use an
infinitive in French rather than a subjunctive, e.g. je réponds... sans réfléchir(lines 37–8). Here it
is the same subject, je, who is both replying and not thinking. Contrast je réponds sans qu’il ait le
temps de réfléchir, where there is a different subject in the second half of the sentence, so that the
conjunction sans que+ subjunctive must be used.