Le Subjonctif 1. Verbs and expressions which express someone's will, an order, a need, a piece of advice, or a desire require the subjunctive. aimer mieux que to like better / to prefer that commander que to order that demander que to ask (someone to do something) désirer que to desire that donner l'ordre que to order that empêcher que* to prevent (someone from doing something) exiger que to demand that il est à souhaiter que it is to be hoped that il est essentiel que it is essential that il est important que it is important that il est naturel que it is natural that il est nécessaire que it is necessary that il est normal que it is normal that il est temps que it is time that il est urgent que it is urgent that il faut que it is necessary that il vaut mieux que it is better that interdire que to forbid that s'opposer que to oppose that ordonner que to order that permettre que to permit that préférer que to prefer that proposer que to propose that recommander que to recommend souhaiter que to wish that suggérer que to suggest that tenir à ce que to insist that vouloir que to want that 2. Verbs and expressions of emotion or feeling - fear, happiness, anger, regret, surprise, or any other sentiments - require the subjunctive. adorer que to love that aimer que to like that apprécier que to appreciate that avoir honte que to be ashamed that avoir peur que to be afraid that déplorer que to deplore that détester que to hate that être content que to be happy that être désolé que to be sorry that être étonné que to be amazed that être heureux que to be happy that être surpris que to be surprised that être triste que to be sad that il est bizarre que it is odd that il est bon que it is good that il est dommage que it is too bad that il est étonnant que it is amazing that il est étrange que it is strange that il est heureux que it is fortunate that il est honteux que it is shameful that il est inutile que it is useless that il est rare que it is rare that il est regrettable que it is regrettable that il est surprenant que it is surprising that il est utile que it is useful that regretter que to regret that se réjouir que to be delighted that 3. Verbs and expressions of doubt, possibility, supposition, and opinion accepter que to accept s'attendre à ce que to expect chercher ... qui to look for détester que to hate douter que to doubt that il est convenable que it is proper/fitting that il est douteux que** it is doubtful that il est faux que it is false that il est impossible que it is impossible that il est improbable que it is improbable that il est juste que it is right/fair that il est possible que it is possible that il est peu probable que it is improbable that il n'est pas certain que it is not certain that il n'est pas clair que it is not clear that il n'est pas évident que it is not obvious that il n'est pas exact que it is not correct that il n'est pas probable que it is improbable that il n'est pas sûr que it is not certain that il n'est pas vrai que it is not true that il semble que it seems that il se peut que it may be that le fait que the fact that refuser que to refuse supposer que to suppose, hypothesize 4. The following verbs and expressions do not take the subjunctive when they are used in the affirmative, because they express facts which are considered certain - at least in the speaker's mind. When negative or interrogatory, they require the subjunctive: c'est que it's that/because connaître (quelqu'un) qui to know (someone) that croire que to believe that dire que to say that espérer que to hope that être certain que to be certain that être sûr que to be sure that il est certain que it is certain that il est clair que it is clear/obvious that il est évident que it is obvious that il est probable que it is probable that il est exact que it is correct/true that il est sûr que it is certain that il est vrai que it is true that il me (te, lui...) semble que it seems to me (you, him...) that il paraît que it appears that penser que to think that savoir que to know that trouver que to find/think that vouloir dire que to mean that