How is the subjunctive used?

The subjunctive mood in French is usually used in the present tense to express doubt, necessity, wishes and fear. It is also used for certain set phrases — mainly conjunctions e.g. avant que (before), pour que (in order to/so that), à moins que (unless) and more. It is formed by taking the 3rd person present tense indicative form of the verb (ils/elles), getting rid of the -ent and attaching the subjunctive endings: -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent.
There are verbs that take an irregular form in the subjunctive, such as faire, which becomes fass(e/es/e/iez/ionz/ent); savoir, which becomes sach(e/es/e/iez/ion/ent), pouvoir puiss(e/es/e/iez/ions/ent). Here is an example sentence where the subjunctive may be used: ‘Je doute qu’on doive avoir peur du subjonctif.’

Answered by Shreya K. French tutor

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