Use of the subjunctive with espérer.

SteveB2 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Use of the subjunctive with espérer.

I believe that's the subjunctive in the final sentence.

If so, I would like to understand why it's being employed here with espérer.

I always understood that this would not use the subjunctive in the affirmative (indicative), but perhaps the imperative changes this somehow?

No doubt I'm missing something here...

Asked 4 years ago
CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi Steve,

The last sentence is :

Espérons que ça se rafraîchisse dans les jours à venir.

This is the verb 'se rafraîchir' which is indeed in the subjunctive.

Espérons = let's hope!   indicates a wish but also a doubt here in a middle of heat wave, hence the subjunctive.

Hope this helps!

 

AnnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Please email me, too, with Steve's answer as I had the same question.

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

You are right, normally espérer does not use the subjunctive, unless:

(a) it is used in a negative sense: Je n'espére pas que tu sois malade.

(b) you really, really insist on underlying the uncertainty.

I guess the case in the text is one of (b).

PaulC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Cécile - in reference to your reply above : doesn’t “hope” ALWAYS  “indicate a wish but also a doubt” - I hope it rains, I hope I win Lotto tonight, I hope you pass your exam, I hope he gets better - in which case we should ALWAYS use the subjunctive with espérer que ??? (I can’t think of an example of using the word hope where there is no doubt involved)

CécileKwiziq team member

Hi Paul,

Good point! I think the difference is the degree of doubt.

If you say -

Espérons que ça va se rafraîchir dans les jours à venir! 

There’s less doubt of the possibility introduced by using a subjunctive...

PamelaC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Hi Steve.

Like you I understood that espérer would not take the subjunctive. 

I presumed that was because hoping is a positive thing.

Steve asked:View original

Use of the subjunctive with espérer.

I believe that's the subjunctive in the final sentence.

If so, I would like to understand why it's being employed here with espérer.

I always understood that this would not use the subjunctive in the affirmative (indicative), but perhaps the imperative changes this somehow?

No doubt I'm missing something here...

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