Rule to form Le Subjonctif PrésentIf you say the stem has to be the stem of the infinitive, then yes, you'll find lots of irregular verbs. But there's a much better rule, and I'd say the few verbs that don't follow it could be called irregular in the Subjonctif Présent.
- je/tu/il/elle/on/ils/elles: the stem is the Indicatif Présent third person plural, minus -ent
- nous/vous: the stem is the Indicatif Présent second/third first plural, minus -ons
Examples:
aimer -> ils aiment -> aim-
venir -> ils viennent -> vienn-
tenir -> ils tiennent -> tienn-
prendre -> ils prennent -> prenn-
...
There are not that many exceptions to this rule. Some important ones:
- avoir -> aie/aies/ait/ayons/ayez/aient
- être -> soi- (turns into soyons/soyez making ii into y)
- faire -> fass-
- pouvoir -> puiss-
- savoir -> sach-
- aller -> aill- / all-
- valoir -> vaill- / val-
- vouloir -> veuill- / voul-
NOTE: where there are two stems, the second one is for nous/vous, the first one is for all others.
If you say the stem has to be the stem of the infinitive, then yes, you'll find lots of irregular verbs. But there's a much better rule, and I'd say the few verbs that don't follow it could be called irregular in the Subjonctif Présent.
- je/tu/il/elle/on/ils/elles: the stem is the Indicatif Présent third person plural, minus -ent
- nous/vous: the stem is the Indicatif Présent second/third first plural, minus -ons
Examples:
aimer -> ils aiment -> aim-
venir -> ils viennent -> vienn-
tenir -> ils tiennent -> tienn-
prendre -> ils prennent -> prenn-
...
There are not that many exceptions to this rule. Some important ones:
- avoir -> aie/aies/ait/ayons/ayez/aient- être -> soi- (turns into soyons/soyez making ii into y)
- faire -> fass-
- pouvoir -> puiss-
- savoir -> sach-
- aller -> aill- / all-
- valoir -> vaill- / val-
- vouloir -> veuill- / voul-
NOTE: where there are two stems, the second one is for nous/vous, the first one is for all others.
Following on from the answer below; how do you then say "I like THE carrots" (i.e. the carrots I have on my plate right now)?
To say, 'I like carrots', you have to use the definite article, les and say -
J'aime les carottes
It sort of indicates in French that you like all the carrots in the world. very strange!
Des is a partitive article meaning 'some' so you might say -
Je voudrais des carottes, s'il vous plait = I'd like some carrots, please
or
Donnez-moi des carottes = Give me some carrots
Another question ...
I noticed that there is no liaison between pas and assez in the audio of this lesson, but they also can be read as "pazassez", right?
Merci!
Find your French level for FREE
And get your personalised Study Plan to improve it
Find your French level