Kilo Lingo
French grammar Part of Chapter 25

CEFR B1-B2

6 min read

Test yourself (31 questions)

French Infinitive or Subjunctive? The Same-Subject Rule

By Michael McGettrickUpdated 12 October 2026

When one person does both things, French uses an infinitive: , I want to leave. The subjunctive only comes in with a second subject: , I want you to leave. Many of the subjunctives learners write should have been infinitives.

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Pick the right one

0/3

One subject or two? Choose the correct French.

  1. I want to leave.

  2. I want you to leave.

  3. I work in order to succeed.

The rule on one screen

subjunctive, two subjectsinfinitive, one subjectWhat do the colours mean?
Main clause
Link
New subject
Second verb
empty
empty
empty
empty
TriggerOne subjectTwo subjects
will . .
emotion . .
conjunction . .
  • . - I want to leave. / . - I want you to leave.
  • . - I am glad to come. / . - I am glad you are coming.
  • . - I work to succeed. / . - I work so that you succeed.

The triggers themselves are on the subjunctive after necessity and will, doubt and emotion and conjunctions pages.

Verbs of will: a bare infinitive

subjunctive, two subjectsinfinitive, one subjectindicativeWhat do the colours mean?

, , , and take the infinitive straight after them, with nothing in between.

One subjectEnglishTwo subjects
.I want to leave .
.I prefer to stay .
.I'd like to come .
.I wish to succeed .

and also take a bare infinitive when they name nobody:

  • . - We have to go. / . - You have to go.
  • . - It is better to wait. / . - You had better wait.

Emotions and impersonals: de + infinitive

subjunctive, two subjectsinfinitive, one subjectWhat do the colours mean?

Feelings (content, , , ) and most impersonal phrases ( , ) put before the infinitive.

TriggerOne subjectTwo subjects
. .
. .
. .
. .
  • . - She is afraid of falling. / . - She is afraid we will fall.
  • . - I am sorry to be leaving. / . - I am sorry you are leaving.

The impersonal row names nobody at all: is a rule for everyone. That is often what you mean, and it is always safer than a subjunctive you are unsure of.

Conjunctions and their infinitive twins

subjunctive, two subjectsinfinitive, one subjectWhat do the colours mean?

Most subjunctive conjunctions have an infinitive twin for one subject. The twin is not predictable, so learn them as pairs.

Two subjectsOne subjectExample
.
.
.
.
.
.
, .
.
  • . - I think before I speak.
  • . - I think before you speak.

Two of them stand out: takes no , and needs a perfect infinitive (below).

sans le savoir versus sans qu'il le sache

subjunctive, two subjectsinfinitive, one subjectWhat do the colours mean?

The pair shows the rule at its cleanest.

  • . - He left without knowing it. (he left, he did not know)
  • . - He left without our knowing. (he left, we did not know)

An object pronoun goes straight before the infinitive: , . With a clause it goes before the conjugated verb as usual: .

A negative infinitive keeps together, in front:

WrongRightEnglish
.I'd rather not go.
.She is sorry she can't stay.

après avoir, après être: the perfect infinitive

infinitive, one subjectindicativefeminine agreementWhat do the colours mean?

points at something already finished, so it takes or + a past participle, chosen as in the passé composé.

PatternExampleEnglish
, .After eating, he left.
, .After finishing, she watched a film.
, .After arriving, she rang.
reflexive , .After getting up, he showered.

With , the participle agrees with the subject: , because arrived.

With two subjects there is no infinitive: use + the indicative.

  • , . - After he left, we ate.

is heard in casual speech and survives in , but standard French says .

Four conjunctions with no infinitive

subjunctive, two subjectsinfinitive, one subjectWhat do the colours mean?

These keep and the subjunctive even when one person does everything:

ConjunctionExampleEnglish
, .Although I'm tired, I carry on.
, .Although I'm tired, I carry on.
.I'll work until I finish.
, .Provided I have time, I'll do it.

There is no . ( + infinitive does exist, but it means to the point of.) To avoid the clause, drop the verb or use a noun:

  • , . - Though tired, I carry on.
  • , . - Despite being tired, I carry on.

Two people, still an infinitive: demander de

subjunctive, two subjectsinfinitive, one subjectWhat do the colours mean?

Verbs that ask, tell, advise or allow someone put that person in front as an indirect object (à ) and the action after + infinitive. Two people, but no .

VerbExampleEnglish
.I asked him to leave.
.I told her to come.
.He let us go out.
.She advised me to refuse.

cannot do this. I want him to leave is always ., never .

looks the same but the one who acts is the subject: . - I promised him I would come.

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
one subject: infinitive
takes no
emotions take
takes no
: perfect infinitive
has no infinitive
two subjects: + subjunctive

What to do next

  1. Learn each conjunction with its twin: / , / , / .
  2. Say three things you want to do ( + infinitive), then three you want a friend to do ( ).
  3. Tell a short story with + a past participle.

Practise: test yourself

Sort into groups

0/7

One subject: what comes between the trigger and the infinitive?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Pick the right one

0/6

One subject or two? Choose the correct French.

  1. I want to leave.

  2. I want you to leave.

  3. I work in order to succeed.

  4. He left without knowing it.

  5. Although I am tired, I am carrying on.

  6. After eating, he left.

Spot the mistake

0/4

Tap the mistake.

Fill in the blank

0/8

Fill the gap with the missing word: a linker (de, d', avant de, que), a pronoun or an auxiliary. Read the subjects on both sides first.

  1. Je suis content te voir. (emotion adjective, one subject)

  2. Elle a peur nous tombions. (two subjects)

  3. Réfléchis parler. (avant que, one subject)

  4. Il est important arriver à l'heure. (impersonal, nobody named)

  5. Il est important tu arrives à l'heure. (impersonal with a named subject)

  6. Il est parti sans dire au revoir. (to us) (the pronoun goes before the infinitive)

  7. Après fini ses devoirs, il est sorti. (perfect infinitive)

  8. Après arrivée, elle a téléphoné. (arriver takes être)

Translation drill

0/6

Translate into French. An infinitive where one subject does both things; a subjunctive only where there really are two.

  1. I would like to come.

  2. I would like you to come.

  3. She is sorry she cannot stay.

  4. He left without saying goodbye.

  5. After finishing his homework, he went out.

  6. I asked him to leave.

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Frequently asked questions

Why can't you say ' ' in French?
Because + subjunctive exists to bring in a second subject. With one subject there is nothing to bring in, so French uses the infinitive: . is I want to leave; is I want you to leave. English builds both with to, so the difference has to be learned rather than felt.
Which linker does each trigger take before an infinitive?
Verbs of will take none: , , . Emotion adjectives and most impersonal phrases take : , , . Each conjunction has its own form: becomes pour, , , plain . Learn the infinitive form with the form, as a pair.
Which conjunctions have no infinitive version?
and (although) and (provided that) keep and the subjunctive even with one subject: , . (until) keeps it too: . To avoid a clause after , drop the verb ( ) or use + a noun ( ).
How do you say 'after doing something' in French?
With + the perfect infinitive: , (after eating, he left). Verbs that take in the take here, and the participle agrees with the subject: , a . If the subjects differ, use + the indicative: , .
How do you say 'I asked him to leave' in French?
. Verbs that ask, tell, advise or allow someone take that person with à and the action with + infinitive, even though two people are involved: , a . cannot do this: I want him to leave is .