Breakdown of Je ne crois pas que l'équipe fasse ce choix.
je
I
ne
not (used before the verb)
pas
not (used after the verb)
ce
this (before a noun)
faire
to do, to make
l'équipe
the team (f)
le choix
the choice
croire
to believe
que
that (introducing a clause)
Questions & Answers about Je ne crois pas que l'équipe fasse ce choix.
Why is the verb fasse in the subjunctive instead of the indicative fait?
Because the main clause is negative. Opinion verbs like croire and penser take the indicative in the affirmative (je crois que), but when made negative (je ne crois pas que), they express doubt and therefore trigger the subjunctive mood.
Is fasse a regular subjunctive conjugation?
No, faire is one of the few verbs with an entirely irregular subjunctive stem. It uses the stem fass- across the board, making the third-person singular form fasse.
Even though a team is made up of many people, why is the verb conjugated in the singular form fasse instead of the plural fassent?
In French, collective nouns like l'équipe (the team), le groupe (the group), or la famille (the family) always take singular verb agreements, regardless of how many members they contain. English is sometimes more flexible with this, but French is strict about it.
Could I ever use the indicative fait after je ne crois pas que?
Yes, though the subjunctive is the standard rule. If you want to strongly emphasize that something is a hard, objective fact rather than just a subjective doubt, you might hear a native speaker use the indicative here. As a learner, though, it is best to stick to the subjunctive to show you know the standard rule.
Learn Je ne crois pas que l'équipe fasse ce choix and more in French
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free