Affirmative Hopes: "Espérer que" + Indicative
In French, the verb espérer (to hope) is a bit special. Even though it expresses a desire, an affirmative statement with espérer que is treated as a probable reality. Because of this, it takes the indicative mood (standard present, past, or future tenses), not the subjunctive.
| I hope that the prophecy is true. | J'espère que la prophétie est vraie. |
When hoping for a future action, simply use the future tense:
| The mage hopes that you will sell this grimoire. | Le mage espère que tu vendras ce grimoire. |
Negative and Interrogative Hopes: "Espérer que" + Subjunctive
The rules change when the hope becomes less certain. Negative statements (like je n'espère pas) and questions introduce doubt, so they require the subjunctive mood.
Notice how the verb pouvoir becomes puisse in this negative sentence:
| I no longer hope that the hero can succeed in this quest. | Je n'espère plus que le héros puisse réussir cette quête. |
Asking a question also triggers the subjunctive (e.g., faire becomes fasse):
| Do you hope that the mage casts a spell? | Espérez-vous que le mage fasse un sortilège ? |
This rule applies whether you ask a formal question using inversion or a standard question with est-ce que:
| Do you hope that we can seal the portal in order to survive? | Est-ce que tu espères que nous puissions sceller le portail afin de survivre ? |