subjunctive

səbˈdʒʌŋktɪv

Definition

Definition of subjunctive - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

grammar

TECH.

verb form expressing wishes, doubts, or hypothetical situations

TECH.

'Be' is a subjunctive in 'I suggest he be on time.'

conjunctive

subjunctive mood

Adjective

linguistics

TECH.

pertains to a verb mood for expressing doubt or possibility

TECH.

In the phrase 'If I were you', 'were' is in the subjunctive mood.

conditional

conjunctive

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Expressions with subjunctive

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.

present subjunctive

verb form for wishes or possibilities in present tense

Use the present subjunctive in 'If he be late.'.

subjunctive mood

grammatical mood expressing wishes, possibilities, or hypotheticals

If I were you, I would use the subjunctive mood here.

Origin of subjunctive

Latin, sub (under) + iungere (to join)

Terms with subjunctive included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.

were

aux.v.

subjunctive mood

forming subjunctive mood

should

aux.v.

subjunctive

expresses a hypothetical or potential state

was

aux.v.

if clause

used in subjunctive mood for conditional sentences

Examples of subjunctive in a sentence

Learning the subjunctive can be challenging for students.
The teacher explained the subjunctive mood with several examples.
Subjunctive forms are often used in hypothetical statements.

View all translations of subjunctive

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:subjonctif, ...
German:Konjunktiv, konjunktiv, ...
Italian:congiuntivo, modo congiuntivo, ...
Spanish:subjuntivo, ...
Portuguese:subjuntivo, ...
Chinese:虚拟语气, 虚拟的, ...
Japanese:仮定法, 仮定法の, ...
Arabic:صِيغَة التَمَنِّي, شرطي, ...
Hebrew:סוֹבְּג'וּנְקְטִיב, סוּבְיוֹנְקְטִיבִי, ...
Russian:сослагательное наклонение, сослагательного, ...
Ukrainian:умовний спосіб, ...
Hindi:विधिलिंग, संभाव्य, ...
Bengali:সম্ভাব্য ভাব, সাবজাঙ্কটিভ, ...
Catalan:subjuntiu, ...
Czech:konjunktiv, konjunktivní, ...
Danish:konjunktiv, i konjunktivform, ...
Dutch:aanvoegende wijs, subjunctief, ...
Greek:υποτακτική, υποτακτικός, ...
Hungarian:kötőmód, kötőmódbeli, ...
Khmer:របៀបសព្ទកិរិយាសន្មត, ដែលទាក់ទងនឹងរបៀបកិរិយាសព្ទសម្រាប់បង្ហាញការសង្ស័យ ឬលទ្ធភាព, ...
Korean:가정법, 가정법의, ...
Persian:وجه التزامی, التزامی, ...
Polish:tryb łączący, ...
Portuguese (BR):subjuntivo, ...
Romanian:conjunctiv, subjunctiv, ...
Swedish:konjunktiv, subjunktiv, ...
Thai:กริยารูปสมมุติ, เชิงสมมุติ, ...
Turkish:dilek kipi, ...
Vietnamese:thức giả định, giả định, ...

Browse the dictionary entries starting with “s”:

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.

Definition of subjunctive - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

Adjective

Expressions with subjunctive

Origin of subjunctive

Terms related to subjunctive

Terms with subjunctive included in their meaning

Examples of subjunctive in a sentence

View all translations of subjunctive

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

Get more than a simple definition

Go from understanding to mastery