LESSON XXIII

Nature of the subjunctive. — The subjunctive after impersonal verbs and expressions. — The subjunctive after conjunctions. — The subjunctive after a relative pronoun. — Irregular verbs rire, sourire, falloir, paraître, disparaître

91. Nature of the subjunctive. — The question of the subjunctive is so difficult and extensive that it can be treated only in a general way within the compass of these lessons. This tense is so rarely used in everyday English that it is practically negligible with us, but in this respect French and English differ radically. In everyday French, the subjunctive is required and expressed in every dependent clause when the main clause is of a certain nature. If the main clause contains an expression of positive knowledge, the verb of the dependent clause is indicative; if it contains an expression indicating various degrees of denial, doubt, uncertainty, etc., generally a subjunctive is required in the dependent clause. The following examples will indicate that mental reservations determine quite clearly whether or not the indicative or subjunctive should be used :

Indicative Subjunctive

Je dis (sais) qu'il a peur. Je ne dis (sais) pas qu'il ait peur.

/ say (know) that he is afraid. I don't say (know) that he is afraid.

Tu crois que j'ai tort. Crois-tu que j'aie tort?

You believe that I am wrong. Do you believe that I am wrong?

Je vous assure qu'elle est ici. Je nie qu'elle soit ici.

/ assure you that she is here. I deny that she is here.