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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb préparer

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The English translation of the French verb préparer is “to prepare.” The infinitive form of préparer is pronounced “preh-pah-ray.”

The word préparer comes from the Latin word “praeparare,” which means “to make ready.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Présent (subjunctive present) tense, which is used to express a desire, a wish, or a possibility.

Examples of préparer in the Subjonctif Présent tense include:

  1. J’aimerais que tu prépares le dîner ce soir. (I would like for you to prepare dinner tonight.)
  2. Il est important que nous préparions toutes les documents avant la réunion. (It is important that we prepare all the documents before the meeting.)
  3. Je doute qu’elle prépare assez pour la fête. (I doubt that she is preparing enough for the party.)

In these examples, the Subjonctif Présent tense is used to express a desire for someone to prepare dinner, a suggestion that it is important to prepare the documents, and a doubt that enough preparation is being done for the party.

Overall, the verb préparer is used to talk about the action of getting ready or making arrangements for something. It can also be used in a more general sense to mean “to plan” or “to organize.”

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je prépare Il faut que je prépare mes affaires. I must prepare my things.
tu prépares Je veux que tu prépares le dîner. I want you to prepare dinner.
il prépare Il est important qu’il prépare ses examens. It’s important he prepares his exams.
elle prépare Elle aime que j’elle prépare une surprise. She likes it when she prepares a surprise.
on prépare Il est nécessaire qu’on prépare le projet. It’s necessary we prepare the project.
nous préparions Il est temps que nous préparions les valises. It’s time we prepare the suitcases.
vous prépariez Il est préférable que vous prépariez le repas. It’s preferable you prepare the meal.
ils préparent Il est essentiel qu’ils préparent leur voyage. It’s essential they prepare their trip.
elles préparent Il est crucial qu’elles préparent leur présentation. It’s crucial they prepare their presentation.

Other Conjugations for Préparer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb préparer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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