Subjunctive After cal que
Cal que and the subjunctive say what someone must do.
How It Works
The verb after cal que is in the subjunctive, and its form shows who must act.
| No named person | A named person |
|---|---|
| Cal dormir. (One has to sleep.) | Cal que dormiscas. (You have to sleep.) |
| Cal partir. (One has to leave.) | Cal que Maria partisca. (Maria has to leave.) |
Cal has only a third person: cal now, caliá in the past, and calrà or caldrà in the future (the conjugator gives calrà, and caldrà is common in print). The verb after que follows the tense: Caliá que partiguèssem uses the imperfect subjunctive, which has its own entry.
To say that someone must not do something, put pas after cal: Cal pas que cridetz. (You must not shout.)
Examples (5)
- Cal que partiscam a sièis oras.
We have to leave at six.
Partiscam: the subjunctive, after cal que.
- Cal que siás aicí a nòu oras.
You have to be here at nine.
Siás: the subjunctive of èsser.
- Cal que Maria sàpia la vertat.
Maria has to know the truth.
Sàpia: the subjunctive of saber.
- Cal que tornem a l'ostal.
We have to go back home.
Tornem: the -ar subjunctive for nosautres.
- Cal pas que cridetz.
You must not shout.
Pas follows cal, and the verb after que stays in the subjunctive.
Common Mistakes
Using the indicative after cal que
Cal que ès aicí a nòu oras.Cal que siás aicí a nòu oras.Ès is the present indicative. After cal que, èsser takes the subjunctive: siás.
Leaving out que before a named person
Cal partiscam deman.Cal que partiscam deman.Cal alone takes an infinitive. When the person is shown by the verb, que comes first.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Cal que follows cal and uses the irregular subjunctive, so both come first.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice Subjunctive After cal que in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Occitan lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
