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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb obliger

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The English translation of the French verb obliger is “to oblige” or “to force.” It is pronounced as “oh-blee-zhay” in its infinitive form.

The word obliger comes from the Latin verb obligare, meaning “to bind” or “to oblige.” In modern everyday French, it is most often used in the subjonctif présent tense, which is a mood used to express doubt, possibility, or a desire. In this tense, the verb is conjugated as follows:

Je oblige
Tu obliges
Il/elle oblige
Nous obligions
Vous obligiez
Ils/elles obligent

Here are three simple examples of how obliger is used in the subjonctif présent tense:

1) Il faut que vous l’obligez à payer ses dettes. (It is necessary that you oblige him to pay his debts.)

2) Nous voulons qu’elle nous oblige à être plus responsables. (We want her to oblige us to be more responsible.)

3) Je doute qu’ils obligent leurs enfants à suivre leurs rêves. (I doubt that they force their children to follow their dreams.)

English translations:

1) It is necessary that you force him to pay his debts.
2) We want her to force us to be more responsible.
3) I doubt that they force their children to follow their dreams.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je oblige Il faut que je oblige mon frère. I must make my brother comply.
tu obliges Il faut que tu obliges ton ami. You must make your friend comply.
il oblige Il est possible qu’il oblige son chien. It’s possible he makes his dog comply.
elle oblige Elle veut que j’oblige ma soeur. She wants me to make my sister comply.
on oblige Il est essentiel qu’on oblige les invités. It’s essential we make the guests comply.
nous obligions Il est important que nous obligions les étudiants. It’s important we make the students comply.
vous obligiez Il est nécessaire que vous obligiez votre enfant. It’s necessary you make your child comply.
ils obligent Il est crucial qu’ils obligent leurs employés. It’s crucial they make their employees comply.
elles obligent Il est préférable qu’elles obligent leurs enfants. It’s preferable they make their children comply.

Other Conjugations for Obliger.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb obliger
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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