15.5. Je souhaite que…

Saying What One Wishes Using the Present Subjunctive

15.5.1. The Main Idea

To say what someone wishes, hopes for, or wants someone else to do, French often uses souhaiter que, vouloir que, and aimerais que with the subjonctif présent.

Je souhaite que tu réussisses.	I hope / wish that you succeed.
Je veux que tu comprennes.	I want you to understand.
J’aimerais que nous parlions.	I would like us to speak.

The subjunctive often appears after expressions of wish, desire, emotion, necessity, doubt, or uncertainty.

15.5.2. Souhaiter Que

Souhaiter que means to wish that or to hope that.

Je souhaite que tu réussisses.	I hope you succeed.
Je souhaite qu’il vienne.	I hope he comes.
Je souhaite qu’elle soit heureuse.	I hope she is happy.
Je souhaite que nous ayons le temps.	I hope we have time.
Je souhaite que tout le monde comprenne.	I hope everyone understands.

Before a vowel sound, que becomes qu’.

que + il	qu’il
que + elle	qu’elle
que + ils	qu’ils
que + elles	qu’elles

15.5.3. Vouloir Que

Use vouloir que + subjunctive when one person wants another person to do something.

Je veux partir.	I want to leave.
Je veux que tu partes.	I want you to leave.
Je veux comprendre.	I want to understand.
Je veux que tu comprennes.	I want you to understand.

Pattern:

same subject	vouloir + infinitive
different subject	vouloir que + subjunctive

15.5.4. Examples with Vouloir Que

Je veux que tu écoutes.	I want you to listen.
Je veux qu’il fasse attention.	I want him to pay attention.
Je veux qu’elle réponde au message.	I want her to answer the message.
Nous voulons que vous veniez.	We want you to come.
Ils veulent que nous partions maintenant.	They want us to leave now.

15.5.5. J’aimerais Que

Use j’aimerais que + subjunctive to say I would like someone to… in a softer way.

J’aimerais que tu viennes.	I would like you to come.
J’aimerais qu’il explique la situation.	I would like him to explain the situation.
J’aimerais qu’elle soit ici.	I would like her to be here.
J’aimerais que nous parlions de ce sujet.	I would like us to talk about this topic.
J’aimerais que vous puissiez m’aider.	I would like you to be able to help me.

This is softer than je veux que.

Je veux que tu viennes.	I want you to come. direct
J’aimerais que tu viennes.	I would like you to come. softer

15.5.6. Espérer Que

Espérer que means to hope that. At this level, use it with the indicative, not the subjunctive.

J’espère que tu vas bien.	I hope you are well.
J’espère qu’il viendra.	I hope he will come.
J’espère que nous aurons le temps.	I hope we will have time.

A useful contrast:

Je souhaite que tu réussisses.	I hope / wish that you succeed. subjunctive
J’espère que tu réussiras.	I hope that you will succeed. indicative / future

15.5.7. Subjunctive Review

For many verbs, start with the ils / elles present form, remove -ent, and add the subjunctive endings.

Present ils/elles form	Stem	Subjunctive
ils parlent	parl-	que je parle
ils finissent	finiss-	que je finisse
ils répondent	répond-	que je réponde

Endings:

Subject	Ending
je	-e
tu	-es
il / elle / on	-e
nous	-ions
vous	-iez
ils / elles	-ent

15.5.8. Useful Subjunctive Forms

que tu réussisses	that you succeed
que tu comprennes	that you understand
que tu viennes	that you come
que tu partes	that you leave
que tu fasses attention	that you pay attention
que tu sois heureux	that you be happy, masculine
que tu sois heureuse	that you be happy, feminine
que tu aies le temps	that you have time
que tu puisses venir	that you can come
que tu saches la vérité	that you know the truth

15.5.9. Wishes About Social or Environmental Issues

Je souhaite que tout le monde comprenne le problème.	I hope everyone understands the problem.
Je souhaite que nous protégions l’environnement.	I hope we protect the environment.
Je veux que les gens respectent les autres.	I want people to respect others.
J’aimerais que le gouvernement aide les sans-abri.	I would like the government to help homeless people.
J’aimerais que plusieurs pays agissent ensemble.	I would like several countries to act together.

15.5.10. Negative Wishes

Place ne… pas around the subjunctive verb.

Je ne veux pas que tu partes.	I do not want you to leave.
Je ne souhaite pas qu’il échoue.	I do not wish for him to fail.
Je ne veux pas que nous oubliions ce problème.	I do not want us to forget this problem.
J’aimerais que tu ne parles pas trop vite.	I would like you not to speak too fast.

15.5.11. Connecting with Earlier Lessons

You have now seen the subjunctive after several idea-gates:

necessity	Il faut que tu étudies.
importance	Il est important que tu comprennes.
uncertainty	Je ne suis pas sûr que ce soit vrai.
wish / desire	Je souhaite que tu réussisses.

The trigger expression opens the gate, and the verb after que walks in wearing subjunctive shoes. 🪶

15.5.12. Core Patterns

souhaiter que + subjunctive	to wish / hope that ___
vouloir que + subjunctive	to want someone to ___
aimerais que + subjunctive	would like someone to ___
same subject	vouloir + infinitive
different subject	vouloir que + subjunctive
espérer que + indicative	to hope that ___
ne pas vouloir que + subjunctive	to not want someone to ___

15.5.13. Practice

I hope you succeed. informal
I want you to understand. informal
I would like you to come. informal
I hope she is happy.
I want him to pay attention.
We want you to come. formal
I do not want you to leave. informal
I hope everyone understands the problem.

15.5.14. Answers

I hope you succeed. informal	Je souhaite que tu réussisses.
I want you to understand. informal	Je veux que tu comprennes.
I would like you to come. informal	J’aimerais que tu viennes.
I hope she is happy.	Je souhaite qu’elle soit heureuse.
I want him to pay attention.	Je veux qu’il fasse attention.
We want you to come. formal	Nous voulons que vous veniez.
I do not want you to leave. informal	Je ne veux pas que tu partes.
I hope everyone understands the problem.	Je souhaite que tout le monde comprenne le problème.

15.5.15. Short Dialogue

A : Qu’est-ce que tu souhaites pour l’avenir ?	A: What do you wish for the future?
B : Je souhaite que tout le monde comprenne mieux les problèmes sociaux.	B: I hope everyone understands social issues better.
A : Et pour l’environnement ?	A: And for the environment?
B : J’aimerais que nous protégions la nature.	B: I would like us to protect nature.
A : Moi aussi. Je veux que les gens agissent.	A: Me too. I want people to act.

15.5.16. Checkpoint

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to say what someone wishes, wants, or would like using souhaiter que, vouloir que, and j’aimerais que with the present subjunctive. You should also be able to distinguish vouloir + infinitive for the same subject from vouloir que + subjunctive for a different subject.