agissiez

Agissiez is a French verb form. It is the second-person plural form (vous) of the verb agir in the present subjunctive. In English terms, it corresponds to a form meaning “you act” or “you should act” in subordinate clauses that require the subjunctive mood. The form is commonly found in more formal or literary writing and in contexts such as expressions of necessity, doubt, desire, or emotion.

Formation and use

Agissiez is formed from the stem agiss- of the verb agir, with the present subjunctive endings: -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent. Specifically, the vous form in the present subjunctive is agissiez, as in que vous agissiez. This contrasts with agissez, which is the present indicative or imperative form for vous. The subjunctive mood governed by verbs or expressions that denote doubt, possibility, necessity, opinion, or emotion is where agissiez typically appears.

Examples

Il faut que vous agissiez rapidement. (You must act quickly.)

Bien que vous agissiez prudemment, les résultats restent incertains. (Although you act prudently, the results remain uncertain.)

Pour que vous agissiez conformément aux règles, une instruction est nécessaire. (So that you act in accordance with the rules, instruction is needed.)

Etymology and notes

Agissiez derives from the verb agir, itself from Latin agere. In modern French, the present subjunctive is widely used in formal contexts and is increasingly common in written language, while spoken everyday speech often relies on other constructions or the present indicative in less formal situations. See also the verb agir and the subjunctive mood.