French · Chapter 20 · Lesson 8 · Grammar primer
The subjunctive after doubt, emotion and opinion
Emotion (etre content que, avoir peur que, regretter que) and doubt (douter que, il est possible que) take the subjunctive, and the negative-and-question flip turns penser que / croire que / etre sur que from indicative (je pense qu'il vient) to subjunctive (je ne pense pas qu'il vienne).
The short version
Penser flips the moment you negate it
Je pense qu'il vient takes the indicative, because asserting an opinion states a fact. Negate or question it and doubt creeps in, so the mood flips: je ne pense pas qu'il vienne, penses-tu qu'il vienne? Croire, être sûr and il est certain all behave the same way.
Je ne pense pas qu'il ait raison.
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