This is how we say it – I want you to read this!

This is a sentence structure which sometimes causes confusion among non-English speakers.  In French, as in many other languages, the following sentence structure is used;

• Je veux que vous lisiez ceci 

This phrase, which employs the subjunctive, would be translated literally into English as ‘I want that you read this’.  However, this use of the subjunctive is not used in English.  Instead, we use the following form when we want, need or would like someone ‘to do’ something;

• We want you to be happy = Nous voulons que vous soyez heureux
• I need him to speak to me = J’ai besoin qu’il me parle
• I’d like you to leave now = J’aimerais que vous partiez maintenant