Subjonctif with "il est possible que"

The Subjunctive is a "mood," not a tense. Tenses tell us *when* something happens (past, present, future). Moods tell us *how* the speaker feels about the action. When you say il est possible que, you are expressing uncertainty. This uncertainty is the "trigger" for the Subjunctive. Without the word que, the Subjunctive usually stays hidden. The que is like a bridge connecting your doubt to the action. For example, if you say "It is possible that he is here," the "is" must be Subjunctive. In French: Il est possible qu'il soit ici. If you just said "He is here," you would use the normal form: Il est ici. The Subjunctive adds a layer of nuance to your speech. It makes you sound more sophisticated and precise. Think of it like adding seasoning to a dish. It changes the flavor of the whole sentence.

1. 1To use this rule, you need to build a Subjunctive verb. Don't worry, there is a simple recipe for most verbs. Follow these steps:
2. 2Find the ils (they) form of the verb in the present tense. For example, for parler (to speak), it is ils parlent.
3. 3Remove the -ent ending. This gives you your "stem." For parler, the stem is parl-.
4. 4Add the special Subjunctive endings to that stem.
5. 5For je, add -e (que je parle)
6. 6For tu, add -es (que tu parles)
7. 7For il/elle/on, add -e (qu'il parle)
8. 8For nous, add -ions (que nous parlions)
9. 9For vous, add -iez (que vous parliez)
10. 10For ils/elles, add -ent (qu'ils parlent)
11. 11Wait, did you notice something? The je, tu, il, and ils forms often sound exactly like the normal present tense! This is a secret gift from the French language. The tricky ones are nous and vous, which look like the Imparfait.

You use il est possible que whenever there is a chance something might happen. It is perfect for real-world scenarios. Imagine you are at a restaurant. You might say, Il est possible que nous commandions un dessert (It is possible we might order dessert). Or perhaps you are in a job interview. You could say, Il est possible que je commence lundi (It is possible that I start Monday). Use it when looking for directions: Il est possible que la banque soit fermée (It is possible the bank is closed). It covers any situation where you aren't 100% sure. It is the language of planners, dreamers, and cautious travelers. If there is a "maybe" in your head, use this pattern. It tells people you are being realistic about the future.

This is the most important part. Do not use the Subjunctive if you are certain. If you use the phrase il est certain que (it is certain that), you must use the normal present tense (the Indicative). For example, Il est certain qu'il pleut (It is certain it's raining). The Subjunctive hates certainty. It also doesn't like the phrase il est probable que (it is probable that) in some traditional contexts, though that is a bit of a gray area. To keep it simple at the A1 level: if you are sure, stay in the normal present tense. If you are unsure, use the Subjunctive. Also, remember that il est possible must be followed by que. If you just say "It is possible," you don't need the Subjunctive because there is no second verb to change!

One big mistake is forgetting the que. Without que, the Subjunctive trigger doesn't work. Another common error is using the wrong stem. Always go back to the ils form of the present tense. If you use the nous form as a base, you will get lost. For example, for finir (to finish), the ils form is finissent. The stem is finiss-. If you just use fin-, your French friends might look at you funny. Also, watch out for irregular verbs. Verbs like être (to be) and avoir (to have) are rebels. They don't follow the ils stem rule. Être becomes soit and avoir becomes ait. Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they are tired or in a rush. Don't be too hard on yourself if you slip up.

Let's look at il est possible que versus il semble que (it seems that). Both use the Subjunctive because both express uncertainty. However, compare them to il est vrai que (it is true that). Since il est vrai que expresses a fact, it uses the normal indicative.

• Il est possible qu'il vienne (Subjunctive - maybe he comes).
• Il est vrai qu'il vient (Indicative - he is definitely coming).

It is like a light switch. Uncertainty = Switch On (Subjunctive). Fact = Switch Off (Indicative). Think of il est possible que as the most common "Switch On" phrase you will encounter as a beginner. It is your safest bet for practicing this new mood.