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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb préserver

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The English translation of the French verb préserver is “to preserve” or “to protect.” The infinitive form is pronounced “pray-zair-vay.”

Préserver comes from the Latin word “præservare,” which means “to keep in advance” or “to guard.” It entered the French language in the 13th century and has been used in various contexts since then.

In everyday French, préserver is most often used in the Subjonctif Présent tense to express a desire, a recommendation, or a necessity for someone to preserve or protect something. This tense is used to talk about things that are uncertain or hypothetical.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Présent tense:

  1. Il est important que tu préserve l’environnement. (It is important that you preserve the environment.)
  2. Nous aimerions que vous préserviez la paix dans la région. (We would like you to preserve peace in the region.)
  3. Il est nécessaire que les autorités préservent les monuments historiques. (It is necessary for the authorities to preserve historical monuments.)

In these examples, the Subjonctif Présent tense is used because the actions of preserving or protecting are not certain or already completed. It expresses a desire or a necessity for these actions to happen. The verb préserver is conjugated differently in this tense depending on the subject and the context.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je préserve Il faut que je préserve l’environnement. I must preserve the environment.
tu préserves Je veux que tu préserves ta santé. I want you to preserve your health.
il préserve Il est important qu’il préserve la paix. It’s important he preserves peace.
elle préserve Elle préférerait que j’elle préserve son secret. She would prefer her to keep her secret.
on préserve Il faut que l’on préserve nos traditions. We must preserve our traditions.
nous préservions Il est essentiel que nous préservions l’eau. It’s essential we preserve water.
vous préserviez Il est recommandé que vous préserviez vos documents. It’s recommended you preserve your documents.
ils préservent Il est nécessaire qu’ils préservent leur culture. It’s necessary they preserve their culture.
elles préservent Il est crucial qu’elles préservent la biodiversité. It’s crucial they preserve biodiversity.

Other Conjugations for Préserver.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb préserver
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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