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L'investisseur doute que l'entreprise fasse des bénéfices.

L'investisseur doute que l'entreprise fasse des bénéfices.
The investor doubts that the company makes a profit.
From Lesson 190:Subjunctive for doubt and possibility (douter que, il est possible que)·French

Questions & Answers about L'investisseur doute que l'entreprise fasse des bénéfices.

Why is fasse used instead of the normal present tense fait?
The phrase doute que (doubts that) expresses doubt or uncertainty. In French, expressions of doubt require the verb that follows them to be in the subjunctive mood. fasse is the subjunctive form of the verb faire.
Is faire regular in the subjunctive? How do I form it?
No, faire is highly irregular in the subjunctive. Instead of taking a stem from the normal present tense like regular verbs do, it uses the completely irregular stem fass- for all subjects (for example: que je fasse, que nous fassions).
If the investor didn't doubt it (ne doute pas que), would we still use the subjunctive fasse?
Usually, no! Because ne pas douter que (to not doubt that) expresses certainty rather than doubt, it generally takes the normal indicative mood. You would say: L'investisseur ne doute pas que l'entreprise fait des bénéfices.
The English translation says "a profit" (singular), but the French uses the plural des bénéfices. Why is that?
While you can technically say faire un bénéfice (singular), using the plural faire des bénéfices is the standard, most natural way to translate the concept of "making a profit" in French business contexts.

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