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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb gratter

Get the Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) tense conjugation of gratter. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb gratter is “to scratch.” The infinitive form is pronounced “grah-tay.”

The word gratter comes from the Old French word “grater,” meaning “to scrape.” It is typically used to describe the action of using one’s nails or an object to rub against a surface in order to remove something or create a mark.

In everyday French, gratter is often used in the Subjonctif Présent tense to express a wish, desire, or possibility. It is formed by using the subjunctive present stem “gratt-” and adding the appropriate endings depending on the subject.

For example:

  1. Je doute qu’il gratte la peinture du mur. (I doubt he scratches the paint off the wall.)
  2. Il faut que tu grattes la boue de tes chaussures avant d’entrer. (You must scratch the mud off your shoes before coming in.)
  3. Nous préférons que vous grattiez les mauvaises herbes du jardin. (We prefer that you scratch the weeds from the garden.)

In these examples, the Subjonctif Présent tense is used to express a doubt, a necessity, and a preference respectively. It is also commonly used in polite requests, such as “Je vous prie de gratter vos chaussures avant d’entrer” (I kindly ask you to scratch your shoes before coming in).

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je gratte Il faut que je gratte le chat. I must scratch the cat.
tu grattes Il est important que tu grattes. It’s important you scratch.
il gratte Il est possible qu’il gratte. It’s possible he scratches.
elle gratte Elle veut que j’elle gratte. She wants her to scratch.
on gratte Il est essentiel qu’on gratte. It’s essential we scratch.
nous grattions Il est préférable que nous grattions. It’s preferable we scratch.
vous grattiez Il est nécessaire que vous grattiez. It’s necessary you scratch.
ils grattent Il est crucial qu’ils grattent. It’s crucial they scratch.
elles grattent Il est temps qu’elles grattent. It’s time they scratch.

Other Conjugations for Gratter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb gratter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the gratter Subjonctif Présent tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts