Subjonctif après "il faut que"

French has different "moods." The indicative is for facts. The subjunctive is for feelings or needs. Il faut que expresses a need. It is not a fact yet. It is something that should happen. This is why we use the subjunctive. The structure is simple. You start with il faut que. Then you add a subject. This could be tu, nous, or Marie. Finally, you add the subjunctive verb. Without the que, the rule changes. If you just say il faut, you use an infinitive. For example, il faut manger. But with a specific person, you need the que. Il faut que tu manges. It creates a bridge. The bridge leads straight to the subjunctive. Think of it like a required pairing. Like coffee and croissants. You rarely have one without the other in this context.

1. 1Creating the subjunctive is like a recipe. You only need three steps for most verbs.
2. 2Start with the ils form of the present tense. For parler, this is ils parlent.
3. 3Remove the -ent ending. Now you have the stem: parl-.
4. 4Add the special subjunctive endings.
5. 5These endings are mostly familiar:
6. 6For je, add -e.
7. 7For tu, add -es.
8. 8For il/elle/on, add -e.
9. 9For nous, add -ions.
10. 10For vous, add -iez.
11. 11For ils/elles, add -ent.
12. 12Wait, these look like regular -er endings! You are right. For many verbs, the subjunctive looks like the present. But for -ir and -re verbs, it looks different. For example, finir becomes finissent in the ils form. The stem is finiss-. So, il faut que tu finisses. It sounds more rhythmic. Some verbs are rebels. They are irregular. You must memorize être, avoir, faire, and aller. They don't follow the ils rule. They like to be special.

Use this when something is mandatory. Imagine you are at a job interview. The boss says, Il faut que vous parliez anglais. It is a requirement. Or imagine you are lost. You ask for directions. A local says, Il faut que vous tourniez à gauche. They are giving you a strong instruction. You can also use it for advice. If a friend is sick, say Il faut que tu ailles chez le médecin. It shows you care. It adds weight to your words. In a restaurant, a waiter might say, Il faut que vous choisissiez maintenant. The kitchen is closing! It is used for deadlines. It is used for rules. It is the language of "must."

Do not use the subjunctive for general statements. If you mean "One must eat to live," use the infinitive. Say Il faut manger pour vivre. There is no specific person here. No que means no subjunctive. Also, do not use it for simple facts. If you are just saying "I am eating," use the indicative. Je mange. The subjunctive needs a trigger. Il faut que is that trigger. If the trigger is missing, keep it simple. Don't overcomplicate your life. Even native speakers sometimes use the infinitive to avoid the subjunctive. It is a clever shortcut. But to sound truly French, you need the que version.

The biggest mistake is using the regular present tense. People say Il faut que tu vas. This is wrong. It should be Il faut que tu ailles. Another mistake is forgetting the que. Il faut tu pars sounds very broken. Always keep the que as the glue. Sometimes learners forget the i in nous and vous. They say il faut que nous parlons. No! It must be il faut que nous parlions. That little i is very important. It signals the subjunctive. Finally, don't use it with je too often. Il faut que je parte is fine. But Je dois partir is often easier. Don't force it if it feels clunky.

You might know je dois. This also means "I must." Je dois partir is simple. It uses the infinitive. Il faut que je parte is more formal. It is also more emphatic. Il faut que sounds more like an external rule. Je dois sounds more like a personal choice. Think of il faut que as a sign on the wall. Think of je dois as a voice in your head. There is also il est nécessaire que. This is very formal. You might see it in a contract. In daily life, stick to il faut que. It is the perfect balance of polite and direct.