Breakdown of J'ai suggéré qu'il vienne avec nous.
je
I
il
he
nous
we / us (object pronoun)
avec
with
avoir
to have
venir
to come
que
that (introducing a clause)
suggérer
to suggest (an idea)
Questions & Answers about J'ai suggéré qu'il vienne avec nous.
Why is vienne in the present subjunctive when the main clause (J'ai suggéré) is in the past?
In modern everyday French, we no longer use the imperfect subjunctive to match a past-tense main verb. Instead, we use the present subjunctive for any action that happens at the same time as or after the main verb. Since him coming with us is the proposed future outcome of the past suggestion, the present subjunctive vienne is the correct choice today.
Would it be wrong to use the imperfect subjunctive here instead?
Grammatically, using the imperfect subjunctive (qu'il vînt) follows the traditional strict sequence of tenses. However, in everyday spoken or standard written French, it sounds extremely outdated and overly formal. Unless you are writing classic literature, sticking to the present subjunctive is exactly what modern native speakers do.
Why does suggérer trigger the subjunctive here in the first place?
The verb suggérer expresses a proposal, wish, or influence over someone else's actions. Because the action in the que clause isn't a stated reality but rather a desired outcome, it requires the subjunctive mood. This is the exact same logic used for verbs like vouloir (to want) or exiger (to demand).
Could I avoid the subjunctive entirely and use an infinitive instead?
Not for this specific meaning. You can generally only replace a que clause with an infinitive if the subject of both verbs is the same. Here, "I" made the suggestion, but "he" is the one coming. Because there are two different subjects, you are forced to use que plus the conjugated subjunctive.
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