Can anyone help me with French modal verbs?

Question

I need help with modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, would) in French, especially when translating something like "If I could be anything, I would be. . .". Would it be "Si je peux être quelque chose, je serais. . ."?
Anything to help is appreciated, although I'd prefer an answer with the information, rather than a list of websites to look up. Thanks in advance.

I just want to know how to use modal verbs in French, or what tense is used when conjugating verbs. Also, what tenses are used when saying a hypothetical sentence, such as "If [A] happened, then I would [B]", like "If I was rich, I would travel abroad" or "I you had not lied then I wouldn't have hit you" or whatever.

Answer 1

There is a foolproof formula if you are dealing with a sentence like "If I did /I was/ I thought etc..."
If +imperfect indicative followed by present conditional.
"Si j'en avais le choix, je serais aviateur"
"Si j'avais de l'argent, je t'en donnerais."
"Si tu voulais des soldats de plomb, tu devrais aller au magasin de jouets"
"Si elles aimaient la musique, elles voudraient entendre le concert".
It works the same way if the sentence is reversed:
"J' irais en ville si j'avais une voiture".
"Je ferais du ski si j'habitais en Suisse".
"Il serait champion s'il travaillait plus fort".

It does not work with sentences with if + present which is then followed by the conditional or the future:
"Si tu es sage, tu auras des bonbons". (will)
"Si tu manges ta salade, tu deviendras fort comme Popeye".

"S'il n'aime pas le fromage, il pourrait manger des fruits".(could)
"Si elle se sent si mal , elle devrait aller voir le docteur".(should)

PS. I notice what you have added later sentences that require the pluperfect.
"If you had not lied, I would have gone out with you". You have added auxiliaries, so you do the same in French:
"Si tu n'avais pas menti, je serais sorti avec toi".
"Si tu avais fini tes devoirs, tu aurais pu sortir"
(Then it is the auxilliary that is in the imperfect or the conditional and the main verb is a past participle). This seems the simplest way to explain and I hope you understand.
However if you have a sentence like "If he had stomach ache, he should not have eaten so much" with one state preceeding the other, use the imperfect after the if and the past conditional in the second part of the sentence:"S'il avait mal au ventre, il n'aurait pas du manger autant."
I hope this helps.

Answer 2

French Modal Verbs

Answer 3

It would take pages of examples to tell you all the possibilities with those verbs and you need to get yourself a good book of grammar and/or French verbs. To use sentences with if, you need to learn the conditional tense (conditionnel présent) and once you are familiar with it there is the ‘’conditionnel passé‘’.

Here are some of your verbs at the conditional tense (present):

Pouvoir (to be able, can)
Je pourrais,
Tu pourrais
Il/elle pourrait
Nous pourrions
Vous pourriez
Ils/elles pourraient

Devoir (to have to, must, ought, should)
Je devrais
Tu devrais
Il/elle devrait
Nous devrions
Vous devriez
Iles/elles devraient

Then the possibilities are unlimited:
Si tu voulais, tu pourrais - If you wanted to, you could
Si tu pouvais, tu le ferais - If you could, you would do it
Si je voulais, je pourrais - If I wanted to I could
Si je le voulais, je pourrais - If I wanted to I could

Etc…

The previous answer tells you more about the tenses you can use together, it’s pretty good, use it.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

i recommend the book "501 French Verbs". provides conjugation in every tense for lots of verbs, so you can learn on your own. really cant think of any way to summarize this, and there are always going to be exceptions to the rules.

Answer 5

"Si je pouvais être quelque chose, je serais...."
"Si je pouvais être quelqu'un d'autre, je serais..."
(because a person is not a thing)

Il peut, Il pourrait, Il pourrait (s'il a la permission), il pourrait bien avoir, Il doit, il devra obligatoirement..., il pourra, il devra, il fera, il pourrait le faire (s'il le veut).

Answer 6

Here is a detailed lesson with everything you need to know: http://french.about.com/library/verb/bl-modals.htm

Answer 7

Wise owl is right

Answer 8

a french person could.