Ch 20 · Lesson 9French · Chapter 20 · Lesson 9 · Grammar primer
Je ne pense pas qu'il vienne: doubt and the negative flip
Doubt and possibility take the subjunctive; and take the indicative until you negate them; keeps the indicative.
The short version
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Why?Hide
takes the indicative, because asserting an opinion presents it as true. Negate it and doubt creeps in, so the mood flips: . An inverted question often flips too. , and all behave the same way.
keeps the indicative
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Why?Hide
Hope feels uncertain in English, so learners reach for the subjunctive after . Standard French uses the indicative, usually the future for something still to come: . Its look-alike is a verb of will, and it does take the subjunctive.
Doubt: je doute que, il est possible que
To doubt something is to refuse to assert it, so doubt takes the subjunctive. The mood follows how sure the speaker is:
- Je suis sûr qu’il viendra.indicative
- Il est probable qu’il viendra.indicative
- Il est possible qu’il vienne.subjunctive
- Je doute qu’il vienne.subjunctive
| Doubt | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| . | I doubt he is coming. |
| . | We may be late. |
| . | She may be right. |
| . | There seems to be a problem. |
| . | He will probably come. |
usually takes the subjunctive. Add a person and it becomes the speaker's view, with the indicative:
.- It seems to me that he is right.
Penser and croire: the negative flip
Asserting an opinion presents it as true, so , , and take the indicative. Negate them and doubt comes in: the subjunctive.
| Form | French | English |
|---|---|---|
. | I think she is right. | |
| negative | . | I do not think she is right. |
. | I am sure he is coming. | |
| negative | . | I am not sure he is coming. |
. | It is certain she knows everything. | |
| negative | . | It is not certain she knows everything. |
Questions are the looser half. An inverted question often takes the subjunctive when the doubt is real, and textbooks teach it: - ? - Do you think he is coming? With , or when the speaker expects a yes, the indicative is common and correct:
?- Do you think he will come?
The cases closer than a trigger list can settle are on the subjunctive or indicative page.
Espérer que keeps the indicative
(to hope that) takes the indicative in standard French, usually the future for something still to come. English speakers feel hope as uncertain and reach for the subjunctive; French does not.
| Verb | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| . | I hope he will come. |
| . | I hope you are well. |
| . | I would like him to come. |
looks like a twin but is a verb of will, so it takes the subjunctive.
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| . | asserted: indicative |
| . | negated: subjunctive |
| . | doubt: subjunctive |
| . | possibility: subjunctive |
| . | takes the indicative |
| . | one subject: + infinitive |
Going further: Emotion: je suis content que tu viennes and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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