Mission: thank and reassure a friend after an event
Past subjunctive. Talk about a completed action after feelings, regrets and bien que.
FrenchB2 · Regrets and what-ifsAbout 8 min: 3 reading, 5 practiceUpdated
- Form the past subjunctive with avoir or être and the participle
- Use it for a completed action after feelings, regret, doubt and bien que
- Contrast it with the present subjunctive (timing)
- Agree the participle as in the passé composé
Regrets and what-ifs: lesson 3 of 4
- B2 · Regrets and what-ifs
- Mission: talk about a decision you regret 8 min
- Mission: imagine how your life could have gone 8 min
- Mission: thank and reassure a friend after an event 8 min
- Mission: plan a project with deadlines 8 min
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Level Level B2 (around the DELF B2 exam). Real French: thanking and reassuring a friend after a party.
What it is
Your mission: your friend Nicolas came to your housewarming but left early, and he's worried he offended you. Thank him for coming, reassure him that leaving early is fine, and tell him you regret that another friend didn't call. Use tu.
You know the present subjunctive (que tu viennes). The past subjunctive (le subjonctif passé) is the subjunctive of avoir or être plus the past participle:
| Subject | with avoir | with être |
|---|---|---|
| que j' / je | que j'aie fini | que je sois venu(e) |
| que tu | que tu aies fini | que tu sois venu(e) |
| qu'il / elle | qu'il ait fini | qu'elle soit venue |
| que nous | que nous ayons fini | que nous soyons venus |
| que vous | que vous ayez fini | que vous soyez venu(e)(s) |
| qu'ils / elles | qu'ils aient fini | qu'elles soient venues |
The auxiliary and the agreement follow the passé composé: qu'elle soit venue. Negation wraps the auxiliary: qu'il ne m'ait pas appelé.
When to use it: timing. The same triggers as the present subjunctive (feelings, regret, doubt, bien que), but the past form says the action was completed before the moment you speak:
| Present subjunctive | Past subjunctive |
|---|---|
| Je suis ravi que tu viennes demain. | Je suis ravi que tu sois venu. |
| Bien qu'elle soit fatiguée… | Bien qu'elle soit partie tôt… |
| Je regrette qu'il ne soit pas là. | Je regrette qu'il ne m'ait pas appelé. |
Present subjunctive: same time as the main verb, or later. Past subjunctive: earlier, and finished.
More examples: je doute qu'il ait compris, c'est dommage que tu aies raté le début.
More detail: same subject means the infinitive
When the two verbs share a subject, French prefers the past infinitive to the past subjunctive: je suis content d'être venu (not wrong: je suis content que je sois venu), je regrette de ne pas t'avoir appelé.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
« Je suis ravi que tu … venu. » (être)
- Indicative: a feeling like ravi que needs the subjunctive
- Imparfait isn't used after que with a feeling
Show answer
sois. je suis ravi que + past subjunctive; tu sois venu.
Why it matters
After an event, people thank, reassure and regret, about something already done. That means the past subjunctive turns up in thank-you messages, reactions and apologies (je suis désolé que tu aies dû attendre). At B2 (the level of the DELF B2) you should handle these timings without hesitating.
Worked example
A message to Nicolas after the housewarming:
- You: Salut Nicolas ! Je suis ravi que tu sois venu hier soir.
- Nicolas: Merci. Mais je suis parti tôt. J'espère que ça ne t'a pas vexé.
- You: Pas du tout ! Bien que tu sois parti tôt, on a passé un super moment. Je comprends que tu aies été fatigué.
- Nicolas: Et Julie ? Elle n'était pas là.
- You: C'est vrai. Je regrette qu'elle ne m'ait pas appelé, mais je ne pense pas qu'elle ait oublié : elle était malade.
- Nicolas: Ah, d'accord. On se refait ça bientôt ?
Real French: dommage que tu ne sois pas venu ! is the everyday way to say "shame you didn't come", and ça me fait plaisir que tu sois venu is a warm, natural thank-you.
Common mistake
Using the indicative or the present subjunctive for a completed action after a feeling: wrong: je suis ravi que tu es venu, wrong: je suis ravi que tu viennes hier. For a finished action, use que tu sois venu.
And the auxiliary at the wrong place with negation: wrong: je regrette qu'il n'ait m'appelé pas. Negation wraps the auxiliary: qu'il ne m'ait pas appelé.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
"I'm glad you came yesterday." Which is right?
- Indicative after a feeling
- The present subjunctive can't point to an action already finished
Show answer
Je suis content que tu sois venu hier.. completed action after a feeling: past subjunctive.
Key terms
- le subjonctif passé
- the past subjunctive
- que j'aie / que tu aies
- avoir in the subjunctive
- que je sois / que tu sois
- être in the subjunctive
- je suis ravi que
- I'm delighted that
- je regrette que
- I regret that
- bien que
- although
- c'est dommage que
- it's a shame that
- je doute que
- I doubt that
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 8 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| le subjonctif passé | the past subjunctive |
| que j'aie / que tu aies | avoir in the subjunctive |
| que je sois / que tu sois | être in the subjunctive |
| je suis ravi que | I'm delighted that |
| je regrette que | I regret that |
| bien que | although |
| c'est dommage que | it's a shame that |
| je doute que | I doubt that |
Practice
Sort it
Present or past subjunctive?
Je suis content que tu viennes demain
later than nowShow answer
Present subjunctive. later than now
Je suis content que tu sois venu hier
already happenedShow answer
Past subjunctive. already happened
Bien qu'il soit fatigué
at the same timeShow answer
Present subjunctive. at the same time
Bien qu'elle soit partie tôt
she left beforeShow answer
Past subjunctive. she left before
Je doute qu'il ait fini
finished earlierShow answer
Past subjunctive. finished earlier
Je regrette qu'il ne soit pas là
he isn't here nowShow answer
Present subjunctive. he isn't here now
Recognition drill
Pick the right answer, as fast as you can.
All pairs
Tap a card to turn it over. 7 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| finir | qu'il ait fini |
| venir | qu'il soit venu |
| faire | qu'il ait fait |
| partir | qu'il soit parti |
| dire | qu'il ait dit |
| arriver | qu'il soit arrivé |
| prendre | qu'il ait pris |
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
« Je regrette qu'il ne m'… pas appelé. » (avoir)
- Indicative: regret needs the subjunctive
- A conditional isn't used after je regrette que
Show answer
ait. je regrette que + past subjunctive; ne m'ait pas appelé.
« Bien qu'elle … partie tôt, elle a adoré la soirée. » (être)
- Bien que needs the subjunctive
- A conditional isn't used after bien que
Show answer
soit. bien que + past subjunctive; partir takes être, so elle soit partie.
« Je ne pense pas qu'elle … oublié. » (avoir)
- Standard French uses the subjunctive here: ait
- Imparfait isn't used after je ne pense pas que
Show answer
ait. je ne pense pas que + past subjunctive: qu'elle ait oublié.
Build the sentence
Build "I'm glad you came."
Show answer
Je suis ravi que tu sois venu.. que + subject + être in the subjunctive + participle.
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 Nicolas, my friend, who came to my housewarming and left early, and who is now a little worried. Speak naturally but clearly, at level B2, using tu. Start with « Salut ! Je suis désolé d'être parti si tôt… ». Ask me one question at a time (did I mind, how was the evening, what about another friend who didn't call), and wait for my answer. After each of my replies, tell me in English what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again; watch the subjunctive after feelings, regrets and bien que, the choice of past over present subjunctive, and the auxiliary and agreement. The mission is complete when I have thanked you with je suis ravi que tu sois venu, reassured you with bien que tu sois parti tôt, and expressed a regret with je regrette que, all correctly: then say « Mission accomplie ! » and give me one tip. Keep every reply under 3 sentences.
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In short
- Past subjunctive = subjunctive of avoir or être + participle: que j'aie fini, qu'elle soit venue.
- Use it after the usual triggers (feelings, regret, doubt, bien que) for a completed action.
- Present subjunctive: same time or later. Past subjunctive: earlier, finished.
- Auxiliary and agreement are the same as in the passé composé; negation wraps the auxiliary.
- One subject: prefer the past infinitive (je suis content d'être venu).
Mastery check
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Check yourself
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Say "I'm delighted that you came."
Show answer
Je suis ravi que tu sois venu.
Past or present subjunctive: « Je regrette qu'il … pas là. » (he isn't here now)
Show answer
Present: je regrette qu'il ne soit pas là.
Complete: « Bien qu'ils … arrivés en retard… » (être)
Show answer
soient.
Further reading
- TV5MONDE, Apprendre le français, free exercises and clips with answers.
- RFI, Journal en français facile, a free daily news bulletin in simple French.
Finished? Mark it done to fill in your leaf on the French map.