Avoiding the subjunctive with a same-subject infinitive

Level 4

In French, you cannot say 'I want that I go.' If the person wanting and the person going are the same, you must use the infinitive: 'I want to go.'

How It Works

In French, most verbs and expressions that trigger the subjunctive (like verbs of will, emotion, or necessity) follow a specific rule: if the subject of the second verb is the same as the first, you must use an infinitive construction. Using a 'que' + subjunctive clause in these cases (e.g., Je veux que je parte) is a grammatical error.

1. Verbs of Will and Desire
With verbs like vouloir or préférer, you must use the bare infinitive if the subject is the same. For souhaiter, while the bare infinitive is most common, it can also be used with de.
• Je veux partir. (I want to leave.)
• Je veux que tu partes. (I want you to leave.)

2. Verbs of Emotion
Expressions of emotion like être content or avoir peur require the preposition de before an infinitive when the subject is the same.
• Je suis content de venir. (I am happy to come.)
• Je suis content que tu viennes. (I am happy that you are coming.)

3. Conjunctions and Exceptions
Many conjunctions have an infinitive counterpart for same-subject sentences. For example, afin que becomes afin de. However, some conjunctions like bien que, quoique, and jusqu'à ce que always require the subjunctive, even if the subject does not change.
• Il travaille pour réussir. (He works in order to succeed.)
• Bien qu'il soit fatigué, il continue. (Although he is tired, he continues.)

4. Impersonal Expressions
For expressions like il faut que, using the infinitive makes the statement impersonal or general.
• Il faut partir. (It is necessary to leave / One must leave.)
• Il faut que je parte. (I must leave / It is necessary that I leave.)

Examples (5)

  1. Je veux aller au cinéma.

    I want to go to the cinema.

    Word by Word: I want to go to the cinema.

    Since the subject 'Je' wants and 'Je' is the one going, we use the bare infinitive 'aller' instead of a 'que' clause.

  2. Elle a peur d'oublier ses clés.

    She is afraid of forgetting her keys.

    Word by Word: She has fear of to forget her keys.

    With the same subject, 'avoir peur que' becomes 'avoir peur de' + infinitive.

  3. Nous sommes ravis d'être ici.

    We are delighted to be here.

    Word by Word: We are delighted of to be here.

    The emotion 'être ravi' uses 'de' + infinitive because the subjects are the same (Nous).

  4. Il étudie beaucoup afin de réussir l'examen.

    He studies a lot in order to pass the exam.

    Word by Word: He studies much in order to to succeed the exam.

    The conjunction 'afin que' (subjunctive) changes to 'afin de' (infinitive) because the person studying and the person passing are the same.

  5. Il faut manger pour vivre.

    One must eat to live.

    Word by Word: It is necessary to eat for to live.

    Using 'il faut' with an infinitive is the standard way to express general necessity without a specific second subject.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'que' + subjunctive when the subject is the same.

    Je veux que je parte tôt.
    Je veux partir tôt.

    In French, 'Je veux que je...' is ungrammatical. You must collapse the sentence into an infinitive when the subject doesn't change.

  • Forgetting the preposition 'de' with verbs of emotion.

    Je suis heureux vous voir.
    Je suis heureux de vous voir.

    While verbs of will like 'vouloir' take a bare infinitive, most adjectives of emotion require 'de' before the infinitive.