Mission: tell your flatmates what needs doing
Subjunctive, part 1. Say what has to happen, who has to do it, and who should.
FrenchB1 · Opinions and debateAbout 7 min: 3 reading, 4 practiceUpdated
- Form the present subjunctive from the ils form
- Use the imparfait forms for nous and vous
- Know the irregular subjunctives of être, avoir, aller, faire, pouvoir, savoir, vouloir
- Use il faut que, je veux que and il est important que
- Use the infinitive when the subject doesn't change
Opinions and debate: lesson 2 of 4
- B1 · Opinions and debate
- Mission: give your opinion at a dinner party 6 min
- Mission: tell your flatmates what needs doing 7 min
- Mission: react to news from a friend 7 min
- Mission: win an argument politely 7 min
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Level Level B1 (around the DELF B1 exam). Real French: sorting out chores in a shared flat.
What it is
Your mission: you share a flat in Lyon with Théo. The kitchen is a mess. Tell him three things that must happen (the dishes, the bins, being home on time for the landlord) and one thing you want to do yourself.
After certain expressions, French doesn't use the ordinary present: it uses the subjunctive (le subjonctif). The three you need first:
| Trigger | Meaning |
|---|---|
| il faut que + subjunctive | it's necessary that |
| je veux que + subjunctive | I want (someone) to |
| il est important que + subjunctive | it's important that |
How to build it. Take the ils form of the present, drop -ent, and add -e, -es, -e, -ent. For nous and vous, use the imparfait forms (-ions, -iez).
Text description
Present tense of finir: que je finisse (ending -e); que tu finisses (ending -es); qu'il / elle / on finisse (ending -e); que nous finissions (ending -ions); que vous finissiez (ending -iez); qu'ils / elles finissent (ending -ent).
Ils finissent → que je finisse. Ils parlent → que je parle. Ils attendent → que j'attende. Ils prennent → que je prenne (but que nous prenions).
Seven irregulars to learn by heart:
| Verb | que je … | que nous … |
|---|---|---|
| être | sois | soyons |
| avoir | aie | ayons |
| aller | aille | allions |
| faire | fasse | fassions |
| pouvoir | puisse | puissions |
| savoir | sache | sachions |
| vouloir | veuille | voulions |
Tu ends in -s: que tu aies, que tu fasses, que tu saches; sois stays sois. Ils is soient, aient, aillent, fassent, puissent, sachent, veuillent.
One subject → infinitive. With verbs of wanting (vouloir, aimer, préférer), the subjunctive is for two different subjects: je veux que tu partes. If it's the same person, use the infinitive: je veux partir. (Il faut is different: il faut que je parte is normal; il faut partir is for a general obligation with no named person.) (Some conjunctions, such as bien que, keep the subjunctive even with one subject; you'll meet them in the next mission.)
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
« Il faut que tu … la vaisselle. » (faire)
- That is the ordinary present; il faut que needs the subjunctive
- The infinitive is not used after que
Show answer
fasses. il faut que + subjunctive; faire is irregular: que tu fasses.
Why it matters
The subjunctive is the sound of everyday French as soon as people give orders, express needs or give advice: il faut que je parte, il faut que tu viennes. It's also a clear marker of B1. Using it correctly, even just with these triggers, makes you sound much more natural than avoiding it.
Worked example
Tonight, in the kitchen:
- You: Théo, il faut que tu fasses la vaisselle ce soir, s'il te plaît.
- Théo: Ah oui, désolé. Je la fais tout de suite.
- You: Et je veux que tu sortes les poubelles avant demain matin.
- Théo: D'accord. Autre chose ?
- You: Oui, il est important que nous soyons là à six heures : le propriétaire vient.
- Théo: Pas de souci. Moi, je dois partir plus tôt ce soir.
- You: Alors je veux rester pour l'attendre.
Real French: il faut que is so common that people use it for almost anything: il faut que j'y aille (I have to go now). For general advice with no named person, French prefers the infinitive: il faut faire la vaisselle.
Common mistake
Using the ordinary present after the trigger: wrong: il faut que tu fais la vaisselle. It must be que tu fasses.
And using que when the subject is the same: wrong: je veux que je parte. Say je veux partir.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
You want to leave early yourself. Which is right?
- Same subject: use the infinitive
- que cannot sit in front of an infinitive
Show answer
Je veux partir tôt.. same subject → infinitive.
Key terms
- le subjonctif
- the subjunctive mood
- il faut que
- it's necessary that
- je veux que
- I want (someone) to
- il est important que
- it's important that
- que je finisse
- that I finish (subjunctive)
- que je sois
- that I be (être, subjunctive)
- que j'aie
- that I have (avoir, subjunctive)
- que je fasse
- that I do (faire, subjunctive)
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 8 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| le subjonctif | the subjunctive mood |
| il faut que | it's necessary that |
| je veux que | I want (someone) to |
| il est important que | it's important that |
| que je finisse | that I finish (subjunctive) |
| que je sois | that I be (être, subjunctive) |
| que j'aie | that I have (avoir, subjunctive) |
| que je fasse | that I do (faire, subjunctive) |
Practice
Sort it
One subject or two?
Je veux que tu ranges ta chambre.
two subjects, je and tuShow answer
Subjunctive. two subjects, je and tu
Je veux ranger ma chambre.
one subject, jeShow answer
Infinitive. one subject, je
Il faut que nous partions.
il faut queShow answer
Subjunctive. il faut que
Elle veut sortir.
one subject, elleShow answer
Infinitive. one subject, elle
Il est important que vous veniez.
il est important queShow answer
Subjunctive. il est important que
Recognition drill
Pick the right answer, as fast as you can.
All pairs
Tap a card to turn it over. 7 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| être | sois |
| avoir | aie |
| aller | aille |
| faire | fasse |
| pouvoir | puisse |
| savoir | sache |
| vouloir | veuille |
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
« Je veux que tu … à l'heure. » (être)
- Indicative: je veux que needs the subjunctive
- The infinitive isn't used after que
Show answer
sois. je veux que + subjunctive; être → sois.
« Il faut que nous … ce soir. » (finir)
- That is the indicative form
- That is the ils form
Show answer
finissions. nous uses the imparfait form: finissions.
Build the sentence
Build "You need to take out the bins." (start with Il faut)
Show answer
Il faut que tu sortes les poubelles.. il faut que + subject + subjunctive.
Practise speaking
Studyfern has no voice tools of its own. To practise out loud, copy this prompt into a voice-capable AI assistant and talk with it.
Mission role-play. You are Théo, my easy-going flatmate in Lyon. Speak naturally but clearly, at level B1, using tu. Start with « Salut, ça va ? Tu voulais me parler ? ». I will tell you things that need doing in the flat; answer in short sentences, sometimes with an excuse so I have to insist, and ask one question at a time. After each of my sentences, tell me in English what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again; watch the subjunctive after il faut que, je veux que and il est important que, and the infinitive when the subject is the same. The mission is complete when I have used three different triggers with correct subjunctive verbs and one infinitive with the same subject: then say « Mission accomplie ! » and give me one tip. Keep every reply under 3 sentences.
Listen too. Listen to native speakers before and after: see the free listening and shadowing links.
Good to know. AI feedback on pronunciation is hit and miss, so check yourself against native recordings. Many assistants turn your speech into text first, so a vowel or liaison you got wrong may be silently “heard” as the right word. Don't share personal details: use a made-up name and town.
New to this? Read Practising speaking with an AI.
In short
- Triggers: il faut que, je veux que, il est important que + subjunctive.
- Build: ils form minus -ent + -e, -es, -e, -ent; nous and vous copy the imparfait.
- Irregular: sois, aie, aille, fasse, puisse, sache, veuille.
- With je veux: two subjects → que + subjunctive; one subject → infinitive. With il faut: que + subjunctive for a named person, infinitive for a general rule.
- Often used: il faut que j'y aille (I have to go).
Mastery check
Answer without looking back. Score 80% or more and the lesson is marked done. Your result is kept only in this browser.
Check yourself
Answer in your head first, then open the answer. Nothing is saved.
Tell Théo he must do the dishes.
Show answer
Il faut que tu fasses la vaisselle.
What is the subjunctive of être for je?
Show answer
Que je sois.
"I want to leave." In French?
Show answer
Je veux partir. (not je veux que je parte)
Further reading
- TV5MONDE, Apprendre le français, free exercises on the subjunctive, built on real TV clips.
- RFI, Journal en français facile, a free daily news bulletin: listen for il faut que.
Finished? Mark it done to fill in your leaf on the French map.