Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb caractériser

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The English translation of the French verb caractériser is “to characterize.” The infinitive form of caractériser is pronounced “kah-rak-te-ree-zay.”

The origin of the word caractériser can be traced back to the Latin word “characterizare,” which means to distinguish or mark. It entered the French language in the 16th century.

In everyday French, caractériser is most often used in the Subjonctif Présent tense to express a subjective or uncertain action or situation. It is often used to describe someone’s qualities, characteristics, or personality traits.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Présent tense:

  1. Il faut que tu caractérises ton personnage dans ton roman. (You need to characterize your character in your novel.)
  2. Je ne pense pas qu’elle caractérise bien le problème. (I don’t think she is characterizing the problem correctly.)
  3. Il est nécessaire que nous caractérisions cette situation avec précision. (It is necessary that we accurately characterize this situation.)

English translations:

  1. You need to characterize your character in your novel.
  2. I don’t think she is characterizing the problem correctly.
  3. It is necessary that we accurately characterize this situation.

Table of the Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of caractériser

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je caractérise Je souhaite que je caractérise. I wish I characterized.
tu caractérises Il est possible que tu caractérises. It’s possible you characterize.
il caractérise Il est important qu’il caractérise. It’s important he characterizes.
elle caractérise Elle veut que j’elle caractérise. She wants her to characterize.
on caractérise Il est essentiel qu’on caractérise. It’s essential we characterize.
nous caractérisions Il est nécessaire que nous caractérisions. It’s necessary we characterize.
vous caractérisiez Il est préférable que vous caractérisiez. It’s preferable you characterize.
ils caractérisent Il est crucial qu’ils caractérisent. It’s crucial they characterize.
elles caractérisent Il est possible qu’elles caractérisent. It’s possible they characterize.

Other Conjugations for Caractériser.

   
    Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser
   

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser
   

    Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser
   

    Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser
   

    Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser
   

    Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser
   

    Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser
   

    Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser

    Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser

    Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser (this article)

    Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser
   

    Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser

    Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser
   

    Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser
   

    Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser

    L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser

    L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser

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Caractériser – About the French Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense

The French Subjonctif Présent, often referred to simply as the “subjunctive mood,” is a verb tense used to express doubt, uncertainty, subjectivity, and emotions. It is not used to describe actions or facts that are considered certain or objective. Here, I will explain the Subjonctif Présent tense, its common everyday usage patterns, and how it interacts with other tenses in French.
NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see my article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation of the Subjonctif Présent

To form the Subjonctif Présent tense for regular verbs, you typically follow these rules

1. Start with the third-person plural (ils/elles) form of the present tense of the verb.
2. Remove the -ent ending.
3. Add the appropriate endings for each verb group:
   – For -er verbs: e, es, e, ions, iez, ent.
   – For -ir verbs: e, es, e, issions, issiez, issent.
   – For -re verbs: e, es, e, ions, iez, ent.

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

1. Expressing Uncertainty and Doubt. The Subjonctif Présent is commonly used to express uncertainty, doubt, or subjective feelings. For example:
   – Je doute qu’il vienne. (I doubt he is coming.)
   – Il est possible que nous ayons des problèmes. (It is possible that we will have problems.)

2. Emotions and Desires. You use the subjunctive to express emotions, desires, hopes, and wishes.
   – Je veux que tu sois heureux. (I want you to be happy.)
   – J’aimerais que vous veniez à la fête. (I would like you to come to the party.)

3. Impersonal Expressions. Some impersonal expressions require the Subjonctif Présent, such as “il est important que” (it is important that), “il est nécessaire que” (it is necessary that), or “il faut que” (it is necessary that).
   – Il est nécessaire que nous partions. (It is necessary that we leave.)

4. Expressions of Possibility and Hypothesis. Subjunctive can be used to express possibilities and hypotheses:
   – Si j’étais riche, je voyagerais. (If I were rich, I would travel.)

Interactions with Other Tenses

The Subjonctif Présent can interact with other tenses in various ways:

1. Present Subjunctive with Present Indicative. Often, the Subjonctif Présent is used alongside the present indicative to express a contrast between certainty and uncertainty. For example:
   – Il est sûr que tu viens. (It’s certain that you are coming.)
   – Il est possible que tu viennes. (It’s possible that you are coming.)

2. Past Subjunctive with Past Indicative. The Subjonctif Passé is used in conjunction with past indicative tenses to express doubt, uncertainty, or emotion about past actions or events.
   – J’étais triste qu’il soit parti. (I was sad that he had left.)

3. Future Subjunctive with Future Indicative. The Subjonctif Futur can be used with future indicative tenses to express doubt or uncertainty about future actions.
   – J’espère qu’il viendra. (I hope he will come.)

4. Conditional and Subjunctive. The Subjonctif Présent is often used with the conditional mood to express hypothetical or unreal situations.
   – Si j’avais de l’argent, je voyagerais. (If I had money, I would travel.)

Summary

The Subjonctif Présent is a mood used to convey uncertainty, doubt, emotions, and desires. It interacts with other tenses in French to create a wide range of nuanced expressions in both everyday conversation and more complex contexts.

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb caractériser. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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