B2.24 - At the bakery

Indicative or subjunctive

Indicatif ou subjonctif

Selon le sens, certains verbes prennent l’indicatif ou le subjonctif.

(Depending on the meaning, certain verbs take the indicative or the subjunctive.)

Indicative vs subjunctive after si and que: the decision you need to make

In this unit, the key is not the verb itself, but what kind of clause follows:

  • si + clause = an indirect question → usually indicative.
  • que + clause = a statement / reaction → indicative or subjunctive depending on meaning.

Think: Is it a fact / information? (indicative) or a requirement / attitude / non-factual? (subjunctive).

1) After si: it’s an indirect question → use the indicative

Demander si means “to ask whether/if…” = you are asking for information.

  • Correct: Il a demandé si la livraison arrivait avant 18 h.
  • Correct: Le traiteur demande si la livraison arrive avant midi.
  • Wrong: Il a demandé si la livraison arrive (possible only if the main verb is present and you keep the same time perspective; in practice, you will often backshift in the past).

Self-check: Can you replace si with “whether”? If yes → indicative.

2) After que: choose mood by meaning (information vs requirement/attitude)

que introduces what you say/think/feel about something. Then you decide:

Meaning in the main clause Typical mood after que What you are doing
Information / belief / report Indicative Stating what you consider true/likely
Requirement / request / wish Subjunctive Trying to influence reality
Acceptance / personal attitude Often subjunctive Reacting subjectively rather than “reporting facts”

3) The verbs in this lesson: what changes (and why)

  • Demander
    • Demander si = ask a question → indicative.
      Il demande si le devis est prêt.
    • Demander que = request/require → subjunctive.
      Il demande que vous prépariez la commande.
  • Supposer
    • Supposer que (we believe/assume) → usually indicative.
      Nous supposons qu’il sera là à 20 h.
    • Supposons que… (“let’s imagine that…”) → often subjunctive because it’s hypothetical.
      Supposons qu’il ne vienne pas.
  • Admettre
    • Admettre + fact (acknowledging a reality) → indicative is common.
      J’admets qu’il a tort.
    • Admettre + attitude/possibility (concession, acceptance, “I can accept that…”) → subjunctive is very natural.
      J’admets qu’il ait envie de changer.
  • Comprendre
    • Often expresses a personal reaction (“I understand / I can accept that…”) → subjunctiveJe comprends qu’il ne soit pas venu.
      Je comprends qu’elle n’ait pas envie de travailler.

4) A practical decision tool (fast, reliable)

  1. Do you see si? → use indicative (it’s an indirect question).
  2. Do you see que?
    • If the main verb is a request/requirement (demander que, exiger que, vouloir que…) → subjunctive.
    • If you are mainly reporting information/belief → indicative.
    • If it is your reaction/acceptance (often with admettre, comprendre) → subjunctive is often preferred.

5) What to pay attention to (common B2 mistakes)

  • Mixing up demander si and demander que:
    Il demande si vous êtes disponible. (question)
    Il demande que vous soyez disponible. (requirement)
  • Forgetting the subjunctive form after a requirement:
    Le chef demande que vous préparez la commande.
    Le chef demande que vous prépariez la commande.
  • Using the indicative after “let’s imagine”:
    Supposons qu’il ne vient pas.
    Supposons qu’il ne vienne pas.

Mini self-check (30 seconds)

  • If you can translate the structure as “ask whether…” → si + indicative.
  • If you can translate it as “ask that…” → que + subjunctive.
  • If you are saying “I accept that…” → the subjunctive will often sound more natural in French.
  1. After 'si', we generally use the indicative.
  2. The indicative is more often used to express a way of saying something or an opinion, while the subjunctive expresses acceptance or a requirement.
VerbesMode (Mood)Exemple (Example)
Admettre (To admit)

Indicatif (Indicative)

Subjonctif (Subjunctive)

J’admets qu’il a tort. (I admit that he is wrong.)

J’admets qu’il ait envie de changer. (I admit that he feels like changing.)

Demander (To ask)

Indicatif

Subjonctif (Subjunctive)

Il a demandé si la livraison arrivait. (He asked whether the delivery was arriving.)

Il demande que tu prépares la commande. (He is asking you to prepare the order.)

Supposer (To suppose)

Indicatif (Indicative)

Subjonctif (Subjunctive)

Nous supposons qu’il sera là à 20 h. (We suppose he will be there at 8 p.m.)

Supposons qu’il ne vienne pas. (Suppose he doesn’t come.)

Comprendre (To understand)

Indicatif (Indicative)

Subjonctif (Subjunctive)

Je comprends qu'il ne soit pas venu. (I understand that he didn’t come.)

Je comprends qu'elle n'ait pas envie de travailler. (I understand that she doesn’t feel like working.)

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

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1. J’admets que le coût unitaire ___ augmenté, mais nous devons rester dans le budget de l’événement.

I admit that the unit cost ___ increased, but we must stay within the event budget.

2. Le chef demande que vous ___ la commande à l’avance pour éviter les erreurs de conservation.

The chef requests that you ___ the order in advance to avoid storage errors.

3. J’ai demandé si la livraison ___ avant 18 h, car la salle ferme tôt.

I asked whether the delivery ___ before 6 p.m., because the venue closes early.

4. Je comprends que la pâtissière ___ pas envie de modifier la recette, mais il y a une allergie aux fruits à coque.

I understand that the pastry chef ___ doesn’t feel like changing the recipe, but there is a nut allergy.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite each sentence according to the structure given in parentheses; use the indicative after “si” and the subjunctive after “que” when it is a requirement or an acceptance (e.g.: Il demande si… / Il demande que…).

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  1. Hint Hint (Il a demandé si) Le responsable a demandé : « Est-ce que la livraison arrive avant 18 h ? »
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Le responsable a demandé si la livraison arrivait avant 18 h.
    (The manager asked if the delivery was arriving before 6 p.m.)
  2. Hint Hint (Il demande que) Le responsable dit à son équipe : « Vous préparez la commande avant midi. »
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Le responsable demande que vous prépariez la commande avant midi.
    (The manager asks that you prepare the order before noon.)
  3. Hint Hint (J’admets que) Je dis : « Il a tort sur ce point. »
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    J’admets qu’il a tort sur ce point.
    (I admit that he is wrong on this point.)
  4. Hint Hint (J’admets que) Je reconnais : « Il a peut‑être envie de changer de poste. »
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    J’admets qu’il ait envie de changer de poste.
    (I admit that he may want to change positions.)

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence (indicative or subjunctive).

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1.
After “si”, we do not use the subjunctive; confusing the moods after “si” is a frequent mistake.
2.
Here “admettre” means acceptance and often requires the subjunctive; using the indicative can change the meaning or be seen as an error.

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Marco De Faria

Master in Foreign Languages

University of Poitiers

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France


Last Updated:

Monday, 13/07/2026 18:48