Subjonctif - 7 conseils pour bien l'utiliser

Summary

This educational video script provides an insightful guide on the usage of the subjunctive mood in French, focusing on its formation and application. The subjunctive, expressing doubt and uncertainty, is contrasted with the indicative mood of certainty. The video emphasizes the importance of the subjunctive in connecting actions within a sentence, irrespective of the main verb's tense. It highlights the use of the subjunctive present for simultaneous or subsequent actions and the past subjunctive for actions occurring prior to the main action. The script also advises learners to concentrate on the present and past subjunctive forms, as the other two are rarely used in speech and more common in literature. The video concludes by promoting a comprehensive video course for intermediate to advanced learners, complete with explanations, exercises, and comprehensions, to master the subjunctive mood.

Takeaways

• 📚 The subjunctive mood in French is used to express subjectivity, doubt, and uncertainty, as opposed to the indicative mood which conveys objectivity and certainty.
• 🔑 The subjunctive present and past are the most commonly used tenses and should be the focus for learners.
• 🔍 The subjunctive is formed after certain verbs that express feelings, thoughts, or opinions, and not after any verb.
• 📝 The presence of the conjunction 'que' does not always indicate the use of the subjunctive; it can also be followed by the indicative.
• 👥 The subjunctive requires two different subjects in a sentence; if there is only one, the infinitive is used.
• 🔗 The subjunctive is used after certain conjunctions that express purpose, condition, anteriority, concession, etc.
• 📖 It's advised to memorize these conjunctions, and a list can be found on the instructor's website.
• ⏱ The subjunctive present is used to express actions that are simultaneous or posterior to the main action.
• ⏳ The subjunctive past is used to express anteriority, i.e., actions that occurred before the main action.
• 🏆 Mastery of the subjunctive is crucial for advancing from a basic to an advanced level in French.
• 🎓 A complete video course is available for intermediate to advanced learners, including explanations, oral and written comprehension exercises, and many practice exercises.

Q & A

What is the subjunctive mood in French?

The subjunctive mood is a verb form in French that expresses subjectivity, doubt, and uncertainty. It is used to express wishes, hypothetical situations, or things that are not certain.

How many tenses does the subjunctive have in French?

The subjunctive mood in French contains four tenses, but the last two are rarely used in spoken language and are mostly found in French literature.

Which subjunctive tenses are commonly used in spoken French?

The subjunctive present and the subjunctive past are the tenses commonly used in spoken French.

What is the role of the conjunction 'que' in the subjunctive?

The conjunction 'que' is used to connect two elements of a sentence, but its presence does not necessarily mean the following verb will be in the subjunctive mood.

After which types of verbs is the subjunctive mood typically used?

The subjunctive mood is typically used after verbs that express emotions, doubts, or uncertainty, such as 'croire' (to believe), 'souhaiter' (to wish), 'penser' (to think), and 'regretter' (to regret).

Why is the subjunctive not always used after a verb that introduces it?

The subjunctive is not used after a verb that introduces it if there is only one subject in the sentence. In such cases, the infinitive form is used instead.

Can you provide an example of when the subjunctive is not used despite the presence of an introductory verb?

Yes, in the example 'Je regrette de partir' (I regret to leave), the verb 'regrette' expresses a sentiment but there is only one subject 'je', so the verb is followed by the infinitive 'partir'.

How does the use of the subjunctive change when there are two different subjects in a sentence?

When there are two different subjects, the introductory verb is followed by the subjunctive mood. For example, 'Je regrette qu'il parte' (I regret that he leaves), where 'je' and 'il' are different subjects.

What are some French conjunctions that are always followed by the subjunctive mood?

Conjunctions like 'bien que' (although), which express concession, and 'avant que' (before), which expresses anteriority, are always followed by the subjunctive mood.

How does the subjunctive mood relate to the indicative mood in terms of certainty and uncertainty?

The indicative mood represents objectivity and certainty, while the subjunctive mood represents subjectivity, doubt, and uncertainty.

What is the function of the subjunctive mood in terms of the actions within a sentence?

The subjunctive mood situates the actions of a subordinate clause in relation to the main clause, regardless of the tense of the main verb. It is used to express simultaneity, posteriority, or anteriority.

When is the subjunctive present used, and what does it express?

The subjunctive present is used to express actions that are simultaneous or posterior to the action of the main clause.

What does the subjunctive past indicate, and how does it differ from the subjunctive present?

The subjunctive past is used to indicate anteriority, describing actions that occurred before the action of the main clause, thus differing from the subjunctive present which indicates simultaneous or posterior actions.