Breakdown of Je ne crois pas que cet algorithme puisse calculer le risque.
je
I
ne
not (used before the verb)
pas
not (used after the verb)
ce
this (before a noun)
Questions & Answers about Je ne crois pas que cet algorithme puisse calculer le risque.
Why does this sentence use puisse instead of the regular indicative peut?
This ties perfectly into your current lesson! When verbs of belief like croire or penser are used in the affirmative (like je crois que...), they take the indicative because you are stating a perceived fact. However, when made negative (je ne crois pas que...), they introduce doubt and uncertainty. This shift triggers the subjunctive mood, which is why we must use puisse here.
How do you form the subjunctive of pouvoir in this sentence? Is it irregular?
Yes, pouvoir (to be able to / can) has a highly irregular subjunctive stem: puiss-. Since the subject of the second clause is cet algorithme (equivalent to il), we add the standard third-person singular subjunctive ending -e to get puisse.
Algorithme is a masculine word, so why is it cet algorithme instead of ce algorithme?
Why is calculer not conjugated in the subjunctive along with puisse?