Subjonctif present - stem-changing verbs (venir)

The subjunctive mood is all about the subject's perspective. When you say "I come to the party," that is a fact. But when you say "It is necessary that I come," you are expressing a requirement. That shift in meaning requires a shift in the verb. For venir, this means the middle of the word changes shape. This is what we call a stem change. Most of the time, venir wants to show off its extra i. It becomes vienn-. But for the "nous" and "vous" forms, it stays a bit more humble and sticks to ven-. Imagine venir is like a moody teenager. It wants to look different and edgy most of the week, but when it hangs out with the "nous" and "vous" crowd (the parents), it dresses a bit more traditionally. This pattern is very common in French. Once you learn it for venir, you will see it everywhere in other verbs like prendre or boire. It is all about the rhythm of the language.

1. 1To build the subjunctive of venir, you need to follow a specific two-step process. Think of it like a recipe for a perfect French pastry. If you skip a step, the whole thing falls flat!
2. 2Find your first stem. Go to the "ils" form of the regular present tense: viennent. Drop the -ent. Now you have vienn-. This is your "strong" stem.
3. 3Apply the strong stem. Use vienn- for je, tu, il/elle/on, and ils/elles.
4. 4Find your second stem. Go to the "nous" form of the regular present tense: venons. Drop the -ons. Now you have ven-. This is your "soft" stem.
5. 5Apply the soft stem. Use ven- only for nous and vous.
6. 6Add your endings. These are standard for almost all subjunctive verbs: -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent.
7. 7So, the final results look like this: que je vienne, que tu viennes, qu'il vienne, que nous venions, que vous veniez, qu'elles viennent.

You cannot just use the subjunctive whenever you feel like being fancy. It needs a trigger. Usually, this trigger is a phrase followed by the word que. Here are the most common scenarios:

• Necessity: Whenever you use Il faut que... (It is necessary that...), you must use the subjunctive. This is the most common way you will use vienne. For example, "Il faut que je vienne demain" (I must come tomorrow).
• Desire and Orders: If you want someone to do something, use the subjunctive. "Je veux que tu viennes" (I want you to come).
• Emotions: French people love to express feelings! "Je suis content que vous veniez" (I am happy that you are coming).
• Doubt and Possibility: If you are not 100% sure, the subjunctive is your friend. "Il est possible qu'il vienne" (It is possible that he will come).

Knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing when to go. Do not use the subjunctive in these cases:

• Certainty: If you are sure about something, stick to the normal present tense. "Je sais qu'il vient" (I know he is coming). No drama, no subjunctive.
• Observations: If you are just describing a fact you see. "Je vois que tu viens" (I see that you are coming).
• No "Que": If there is no que connecting two parts of the sentence, you usually do not need the subjunctive. "Je veux venir" (I want to come) uses the infinitive instead.
• Single Subject: If the person wanting and the person coming are the same, use the infinitive. You do not say "I want that I come," you just say "I want to come."

Even if you study hard, a few traps might catch you. Here is what to watch out for:

• The Missing "i": A lot of people forget the i in the singular forms. They write venne instead of vienne. Remember, it needs that extra letter to sound right!
• The Extra "i": On the flip side, people often try to put the i in the nous form. They say vienions. Nope! Nous and vous are the "no-i" zones for venir.
• Confusing with Present Tense: The je form of the present is je viens. The subjunctive is je vienne. They sound very similar, but that final e sound is crucial in writing and careful speech.
• Forgetting the Double "n": Notice how vienne has two ns? That is because it comes from the ils viennent form. One n is just not enough for the subjunctive's ego.

Let us compare venir to its cousin, partir (to leave). For partir, the stem is simple: part-. It stays the same for everyone in the subjunctive: que je parte, que nous partions. But venir is a bit more complex because of its stem change. This change is actually a gift! It helps distinguish the words. If you hear vien-, you know it is one of the "outer" forms. If you hear ven-, you know it is nous or vous. This "boot" pattern (where the singular forms and the third-person plural look alike) is a classic French design. Think of it like a fashion trend that only certain subjects wear. Understanding this contrast helps you group verbs in your head. Verbs like revenir (to come back) and devenir (to become) follow the exact same pattern as venir. Once you master one, you get the others for free!