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French grammar Part of Chapter 20

CEFR B1

4 min read

Test yourself (25 questions)

The French Subjunctive After Doubt, Emotion and Opinion

By Michael McGettrickUpdated 12 October 2026

French puts a clause in the subjunctive when it is coloured by a feeling or a doubt rather than stated as a plain fact. Asserting an opinion is a statement of fact, so it keeps the indicative, until you negate it.

subjunctiveinfinitive (one subject)indicative (a fact)What do the colours mean?
TriggerFrenchEnglish
emotion .I am glad you are coming.
doubt .I doubt he is coming.
possibility .She may be right.
opinion .I think he is coming.
opinion, negated .I do not think he is coming.
hope .I hope he will come.

Quick check

Now use it: three quick questions on the chart above. The full practice is further down.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Tap the mistake English speakers make.

This is the second family of triggers, after necessity and will. The forms are on the formation page.

Emotion: je suis content que tu viennes

A clause after a feeling is what you react to, not news you report. With a second person after , it takes the subjunctive:

  • gladglad
  • happyhappy
  • sadsad
  • fearfear
EmotionExampleEnglish
.I am glad you are here.
.She is happy we are coming.
.We are sad that you are leaving.
.He is surprised she knows everything.
.I am sorry you cannot stay.
.I am afraid he will not come.
.It is a shame it is so cold.

Other members of the set: (proud), (disappointed), (amazed), (to fear).

After and , careful French often adds a that negates nothing. Leave it out if you like; a real negative needs :

  • . - I am afraid it will rain.
  • . - I am afraid it will not rain.

One subject: de plus the infinitive

When the person who feels is also the person who acts, French drops and uses plus the infinitive, exactly as with vouloir:

Feeling
Link
Who
Second verb
empty
’
empty
Who actsFrenchEnglish
the same person .I am glad to come.
someone else .I am glad you are coming.
the same person .She is afraid of being late.
someone else .She is afraid we will be late.
the same person .I am sorry to leave.

Doubt: je doute que, il est possible que

subjunctiveinfinitive (one subject)indicative (a fact)What do the colours mean?

To doubt something is to refuse to assert it, so doubt takes the subjunctive. The mood follows how sure the speaker is:

Where the mood changes
SureDoubtful
  1. Je suis sûr qu’il viendra.indicative
  2. Il est probable qu’il viendra.indicative
  3. Il est possible qu’il vienne.subjunctive
  4. Je doute qu’il vienne.subjunctive
DoubtExampleEnglish
.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.

I think he is coming becomes I do not think he is coming
FormFrenchEnglish
.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.

VerbFrenchEnglish
.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

WrongRightWhy
.asserted: indicative
.negated: subjunctive
.doubt: subjunctive
.possibility: subjunctive
. takes the indicative
.one subject: + infinitive

What to do next

  1. Say one thing you are glad about and one you doubt, with .
  2. Take three opinions you hold ( ...) and negate them.
  3. Next: the subjunctive after conjunctions, the fixed list.

Practise: test yourself

Sort into groups

0/9

Which mood follows each opening: the subjunctive or the indicative?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Complete the story

0/5

Choose the right form for each gap.

Léa's party

Samedi, c'est l'anniversaire de Léa. Je suis contente qu'elle une fête. Mais je doute que Paul : il travaille le samedi. Je pense qu'il fatigué en ce moment. J'espère qu'il quand même ! C'est dommage qu'il ne pas partir plus tôt.

Gap 1 of 5

Spot the mistake

0/5

Tap the mistake English speakers make.

Put the words in order

0/2

Put the words in order.

  1. I do not think he is right.

    Your sentence is empty.

  2. I am glad you are here.

    Your sentence is empty.

Pick the right one

0/4

Choose the form the sentence needs.

  1. Je doute qu'elle raison. (avoir)

  2. Il me semble qu'il raison. (avoir)

  3. J'ai peur en retard. (I am afraid of being late)

  4. Je suis triste que vous . (partir)

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Frequently asked questions

Why does an emotion verb take the subjunctive in French?
Because the clause is what you feel about, not a fact you are reporting: (I am glad you are coming). The same goes for , , or , , , and . With one subject, French uses plus the infinitive instead: (I am glad to come).
When does take the subjunctive in French?
When it is negated, and often when it is asked with inversion. Asserted, it takes the indicative, because you present the thought as true: (I think he is coming). Negated, doubt comes in and it takes the subjunctive: (I do not think he is coming). , and behave the same way.
What is the difference between and ?
(to doubt that) takes the subjunctive, because to doubt something is to refuse to assert it: . (to hope that) takes the indicative in standard French, usually the future: (I hope he will come). English speakers reach for the subjunctive after hope; resist it.
Does take the subjunctive?
Usually, yes: (there seems to be a problem). Add a person and it becomes a near-assertion with the indicative: me a (it seems to me he is right). also takes the indicative, while takes the subjunctive.
Is the in negative?
No. After and , careful French often adds a that negates nothing, the explétif: (I am afraid it will rain). You may leave it out. A real negative needs : (I am afraid he will not come).