French conjugation explanation
Forming the present subjunctive verb forms
<p>For most French verbs, the present subjunctive verb forms are formed by <strong>removing the <span style="font-style: italic;">-ent</span> ending from the third-person plural</strong> form of the present tense and adding the appropriate personal ending. There are important exceptions that we'll discuss later, but let's see a few examples first.</p>
<p><strong>TROUVER (regular -er):</strong> The third-person plural form in the present tense is <span style="font-style: italic;">ils trouvent</span>, so the stem for the present subjunctive forms will be <span style="font-style: italic;">trouv-</span>:</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/29/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Présent du subjonctif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que je
</span>trouv<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que tu
</span>trouv<span style="text-decoration: underline;">es</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'il
</span>trouv<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que nous
</span>trouv<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ions</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que vous
</span>trouv<span style="text-decoration: underline;">iez</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'ils
</span>trouv<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ent</span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><strong>FINIR (regular -ir):</strong> The third-person plural form in the present tense is <span style="font-style: italic;">ils finissent</span>, so the stem for the present subjunctive forms will be <span style="font-style: italic;">finiss-</span>:</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/29/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Présent du subjonctif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que je
</span>finiss<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que tu
</span>finiss<span style="text-decoration: underline;">es</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'il
</span>finiss<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que nous
</span>finiss<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ions</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que vous
</span>finiss<span style="text-decoration: underline;">iez</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'ils
</span>finiss<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ent</span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><strong>METTRE (regular -ir):</strong> The third-person plural form in the present tense is <span style="font-style: italic;">ils mettent</span>, so the stem for the present subjunctive forms will be <span style="font-style: italic;">mett-</span>:</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/29/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Présent du subjonctif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que je
</span>mett<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que tu
</span>mett<span style="text-decoration: underline;">es</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'il
</span>mett<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que nous
</span>mett<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ions</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que vous
</span>mett<span style="text-decoration: underline;">iez</span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'ils
</span>mett<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ent</span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><strong>DIRE:</strong> The third-person plural form in the present tense is <span style="font-style: italic;">ils disent</span>, so the stem for the present subjunctive forms will be <span style="font-style: italic;">dis-</span>:</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/29/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Présent du subjonctif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que je
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">dis<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que tu
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">dis<span style="text-decoration: underline;">es</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'il
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">dis<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que nous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">dis<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ions</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que vous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">dis<span style="text-decoration: underline;">iez</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'ils
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">dis<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ent</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><strong>PARTIR:</strong> The third-person plural form in the present tense is <span style="font-style: italic;">ils partent</span>, so the stem for the present subjunctive forms will be <span style="font-style: italic;">part-</span>:</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/29/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Présent du subjonctif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que je
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">part<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que tu
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">part<span style="text-decoration: underline;">es</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'il
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">part<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que nous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">part<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ions</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que vous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">part<span style="text-decoration: underline;">iez</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'ils
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">part<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ent</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><strong>VENIR:</strong> The third-person plural form in the present tense is <span style="font-style: italic;">ils viennent</span>, so the stem for the present subjunctive forms will be <span style="font-style: italic;">vienn-</span>:</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/29/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Présent du subjonctif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que je
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">vienn<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que tu
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">vienn<span style="text-decoration: underline;">es</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'il
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">vienn<span style="text-decoration: underline;">e</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que nous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">venio<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ns</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que vous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">venie<span style="text-decoration: underline;">z</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'ils
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">vienn<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ent</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Exceptions</div>
<p>The verbs <strong style="font-style: italic;">être</strong> and <strong style="font-style: italic;">avoir</strong> are the only ones that are irregular both in their stems and their personal endings:</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/29/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Présent du subjonctif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que je
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sois<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que tu
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sois<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'il
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">soit<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que nous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">soyons<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que vous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">soyez<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'ils
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">soient<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/29/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Présent du subjonctif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun"><span>que j'</span></span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">aie<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que tu
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">aies<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'il
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ait<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que nous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ayons<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que vous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ayez<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
qu'ils
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">aient<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>In the following table, you can see the most important verbs with an irregular stem.</p>
<div class="table_container">
<div class="three_column_table">
<div><strong>Verb</strong></div>
<div><strong>Present S/3</strong></div>
<div><strong>Subjunctive stem</strong></div>
<div><strong>faire</strong></div>
<div>font</div>
<div>fass-</div>
<div><strong>aller</strong></div>
<div>vont</div>
<div>aill-</div>
<div><strong>pouvoir</strong></div>
<div>peuvent</div>
<div>puiss-</div>
<div><strong>vouloir</strong></div>
<div>veulent</div>
<div>veuill-</div>
<div><strong>savoir</strong></div>
<div>savent</div>
<div>sach-</div>
<div><strong>valoir</strong></div>
<div>valent</div>
<div>vaill-</div>
<div><strong>falloir</strong></div>
<div>---</div>
<div>faill-</div>
</div>
</div>