Question 1

Since this lesson is about the subjunctive, does tu penses que trigger the subjunctive here?

Accepted Answer

It is a great question! Verbs of thinking like penser que take the indicative in affirmative sentences, but they can trigger the subjunctive in questions or negative sentences to express doubt. However, because supprimer is an regular -er verb, its present indicative and present subjunctive forms for il are exactly the same: supprime. So it looks exactly the same either way!

Question 2

How is penser que different from aimer que from the current lesson?

Accepted Answer

Aimer que expresses an emotion or desire, so it always requires the subjunctive. Penser que expresses a thought or belief, so it usually states a fact and takes the normal indicative mood, unless it is used in a question or negative statement where doubt is introduced.

Question 3

Does supprimer really mean 'to delete'? It looks like the English word 'suppress'.

Accepted Answer

Yes, it does! While supprimer can mean 'to suppress' or 'to eliminate' in broader contexts, it is the standard French verb for 'to delete' in the digital world. If you want to delete an app, a text message, or a comment (un commentaire), you always use the verb supprimer.

Question 4

Could I ask this question by inverting the subject and verb instead of using est-ce que?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you could say Penses-tu qu'il supprime le commentaire ? Inversion is more formal than using est-ce que. Interestingly, because formal inversion with penser makes the question feel more doubtful, a French speaker would be even more likely to mentally treat the second verb as a subjunctive!

Est-ce que tu penses qu'il supprime le commentaire ?

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