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

Introduction to the verb laver

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The English translation of the French verb laver is “to wash.” It is pronounced “la-vay.”

The origin of the word laver can be traced back to the Latin word “lavare,” which also means “to wash.” This word was later adopted into Old French as “lavoir” and eventually evolved into the modern French “laver.”

In everyday French, the verb laver is most often used in the Subjonctif Présent tense to express a desire, request, or possibility. It is used after certain conjunctions such as “il faut que” (it is necessary that), “il est important que” (it is important that), or “je souhaite que” (I wish that).

Here are three simple examples of laver in the Subjonctif Présent tense with their English translations:

  1. Il faut que je lave la voiture avant le dîner. (It is necessary that I wash the car before dinner.)
  2. Il est important que tu laves tes mains avant de manger. (It is important that you wash your hands before eating.)
  3. Je souhaite que nous lavions les vêtements demain. (I wish that we wash the clothes tomorrow.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je lave Il faut que je lave la vaisselle. I must wash the dishes.
tu laves Je préfère que tu laves ton linge. I prefer you wash your clothes.
il lave Il est possible qu’il lave la voiture. It’s possible he washes the car.
elle lave Elle veut que j’elle lave la salle de bain. She wants her to clean the bathroom.
on lave Il est important qu’on lave la voiture. It’s important we wash the car.
nous lavions Il est préférable que nous lavions la voiture. It’s preferable we wash the car.
vous laviez Il est nécessaire que vous laviez vos mains. It’s necessary you wash your hands.
ils lavent Il est essentiel qu’ils lavent leurs vêtements. It’s essential they wash their clothes.
elles lavent Il est crucial qu’elles lavent la vaisselle. It’s crucial they wash the dishes.

Other Conjugations for Laver.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb laver
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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