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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dérober

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The English translation of the French verb dérober is “to steal” or “to rob.” It is pronounced as “day-roh-bay” in the infinitive form.

The word dérober comes from the Old French word “desrober,” which is derived from the Latin word “disrāpāre,” meaning “to carry away.” In everyday French, dérober is most often used in the Subjonctif Présent tense to express a possibility or desire, similar to the English subjunctive mood.

Example 1:
Il faut que je dérobe le gâteau avant qu’il ne le mange.
(I must steal the cake before he eats it.)

Example 2:
Il est important que nous ne dérobions pas les preuves.
(It is important that we do not steal the evidence.)

Example 3:
Je veux que tu dérobes mon cœur pour toujours.
(I want you to steal my heart forever.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dérobe Il est possible que je dérobe. It’s possible I steal.
tu dérobes Je doute que tu dérobes. I doubt you steal.
il dérobe Il est nécessaire qu’il dérobe. It’s necessary he steals.
elle dérobe Elle veut que j’elle dérobe. She wants her to steal.
on dérobe Il est important qu’on dérobe. It’s important we steal.
nous dérobions Il est préférable que nous dérobions. It’s preferable we steal.
vous dérobiez Il est crucial que vous dérobiez. It’s crucial you steal.
ils dérobent Il est essentiel qu’ils dérobent. It’s essential they steal.
elles dérobent Il est crucial qu’elles dérobent. It’s crucial they steal.

Other Conjugations for Dérober.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dérober
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dérober – 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 dérober. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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