Konjunktiivi

Konjunktiivi, or the subjunctive mood, is a grammatical mood used to express non-real or hypothetical states, wishes, doubts, possibilities, or commands in subordinate clauses. It contrasts with the indicative mood, which states facts, and with the imperative mood, which gives direct orders.

Across languages, the subjunctive is realized with distinct verb forms or constructions. In some languages it has a rich set of endings or stem changes, while in others it has faded or merged with other moods. The subjunctive often appears after verbs of wishing, requesting, recommending, or judging, and after certain conjunctions that introduce clauses expressing possibility, doubt, or necessity. It is also commonly used in that-clauses in many Romance languages and in fixed expressions in Germanic languages.

Examples illustrating the idea include English: “If I were taller” (past subjunctive expressing a hypothetical), and “I suggest that he come” (subjunctive after a suggestion). Spanish uses present or imperfect subjunctive after que, as in “Espero que venga” (I hope that he comes). French uses subjunctive forms after certain conjunctions, as in “Il faut que tu viennes.” Italian and Portuguese also rely on subjunctive forms in subordinate clauses to express uncertainty, desire, or hypothetical situations.

In Finnish, the term konjunktiivi denotes a historically or literaryly used subjunctive form. In modern standard Finnish, the mood’s role is largely taken by other forms such as the Konditionaali (conditional) or the Potentiaali (potential), and konjunktiivi appears mainly in archaic, ceremonial, or highly formal contexts or in older texts.

See also: Indicative, Imperative, Conditional mood, Potential mood.