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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb respecter

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The English translation of the French verb respecter is “to respect.” The infinitive form, respecter, is pronounced “reh-spek-tay.”

The word respecter is derived from the Latin word “respectare,” meaning “to look back at.” In French, it is most commonly used in the Subjonctif Présent tense, which expresses a desire, a wish, or a possibility.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il faut que tu respectes les règles. (It is necessary that you respect the rules.)
  2. Je veux que tu respectes mes décisions. (I want you to respect my decisions.)
  3. Il est important que nous respections la nature. (It is important that we respect nature.)

In everyday French, respecter is often used to express respect, obedience, or consideration towards someone or something. It can also be used to talk about following rules or norms.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je respecte Il faut que je respecte les règles. I must respect the rules.
tu respectes Je veux que tu me respectes. I want you to respect me.
il respecte Il est important qu’il respecte les lois. It’s important he respects the laws.
elle respecte Elle veut que j’elle respecte ses parents. She wants her to respect her parents.
on respecte Il est crucial qu’on respecte les autres. It’s crucial we respect others.
nous respections Il est nécessaire que nous respections les traditions. It’s necessary we respect the traditions.
vous respectiez Il est préférable que vous respectiez les opinions des autres. It’s preferable you respect other people’s opinions.
ils respectent Il est important qu’ils respectent l’environnement. It’s important they respect the environment.
elles respectent Il est essentiel qu’elles respectent les règles. It’s essential they respect the rules.

Other Conjugations for Respecter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb respecter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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