Francisez | Learn to conjugate verbs in the past tense of the subjunctive

Learn to conjugate verbs in the past tense of the subjunctive

Le passé du subjonctif

What is the subjunctive?
When do you use the subjunctive?

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Example if subjunctive were used in English

When to use

The subjunctive past tense is used when the subjunctive clause happens before the main clause or when the main clause itself is in the past tense. Learn when to use the subjunctive here. The English equivalents are as follows:

Subjunctive perfect tense
The tense that is composed with the '-ed' ending.

Eg. I'm happy that you came yesterday.
Subjunctive past perfect tense
The tense that is composed as had plus the past participle.

Eg. She feared that he had died.

Examples of use

Eg. 1)

Elle est contente que j'aie pu venir hier.

She is happy that I was able to come yesterday.

Eg. 2)

Tu peux t'inscrire, quoique tu aies déjà suivi ce cours.

You can register, although you have already done this course.

Eg. 3)

Je craignais qu'il n'ait réussi pas l'examen.

I was worried that he had failed the exam.

How to conjugate

Conjugate the verb avoir (to have) in the subjunctive present tense and use the past participle.

J'	aie + PP	I
Tu	aies + PP	you (s.)
Il	ait + PP	he, she, it
Nous	ayons + PP	we
Vous	ayez + PP	you (p., pol.)
Ils	aient + PP	they

With some verbs you will need to conjugate the verb être (to be), instead of avoir (to have), in the subjunctive present tense and use the past participle. There are only a small handfull of these verbs, find all être verbs and more information here.

Je	sois + PP	I
Tu	sois + PP	you (s.)
Il	soit + PP	he, she, it
Nous	soyons + PP	we
Vous	soyez + PP	you (p., pol.)
Ils	soient + PP	they

-er verb
parler to speak
J'	aie parlé
Tu	aies parlé
Il	ait parlé
Nous	ayons parlé
Vous	ayez parlé
Ils	aient parlé

-ir verb
choissir to choose
J'	aie choisi
Tu	aies choisi
Il	ait choisi
Nous	ayons choisi
Vous	ayez choisi
Ils	aient choisi

-re verb
vendre to sell
J'	aie vendu
Tu	aies vendu
Il	ait vendu
Nous	ayons vendu
Vous	ayez vendu
Ils	aient vendu

Requiring être
aller to go
Je	sois allé(e)
Tu	sois allé(e)
Il	soit allé(e)
Nous	soyons allé(e)s
Vous	soyez allé(e)(s)
Ils	soient allé(e)s

Participles	Present Past
Indicative	Present Imperfect Simple Future Simple Past Passé composé Plus-que-parfait Past Perfect Future Perfect	-ER -IR -RE -ER -IR -RE
Subjunctive	Present Imperfect Plus-que-parfait Past
Conditional	Present Past Past (2^nd)
Imperative	Present Past

	To correct; to put right Show languages
	Corregir
	Rectifier, améliorer conformément à une règle
	Correggere
	矫正，进行纠正
	Irregular in: present (indicative) imperfect (indicative) simple past (indicative)