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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb commander

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The English translation of the French verb commander is “to order” or “to command.” It is pronounced as “koh-mah(n)-day” in its infinitive form.

The word “commander” comes from the Latin word “comandare” which means “to entrust or give in charge.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Présent tense, which is used to express a wish, desire, or hypothetical situation.

Examples:

  1. Je souhaite que tu me commandes une pizza.
    English translation: I wish for you to order a pizza for me.

  2. Il est important que le capitaine commande les soldats avec autorité.
    English translation: It is important for the captain to command the soldiers with authority.

  3. Nous exigeons que le gouvernement commande des mesures urgentes pour lutter contre le changement climatique.
    English translation: We demand that the government order urgent measures to fight against climate change.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je commande Il est temps que je commande. It’s time I order.
tu commandes Je doute que tu commandes. I doubt you order.
il commande Il se peut qu’il commande. It’s possible he orders.
elle commande Elle ne supporte pas que elle commande. She can’t stand her ordering.
on commande On aimerait que on commande. We would like us to order.
nous commandions Il est important que nous commandions. It’s important we order.
vous commandiez Il est nécessaire que vous commandiez. It’s necessary you order.
ils commandent Il est essentiel qu’ils commandent. It’s essential they order.
elles commandent Il est crucial qu’elles commandent. It’s crucial they order.

Other Conjugations for Commander.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb commander
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!
   

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Commander – 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.

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