AtelierLe journal · French, understood
English

Language

The course

Updated

Reading

Why French news uses the conditional: read a report and its update

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Read serait, aurait lieu and aurait demandé in a short French report. Compare unconfirmed information with a later announcement and answer four questions.

In short

In a news report, the conditional can mark information the writer is relaying as unconfirmed: la réunion aurait lieu lundi means “the meeting would reportedly take place on Monday”. Translate the reporting stance as well as the verb.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out

A journalist speaking on a phone beside a blank notebook in a small newsroom.
A reporter checks whether la réunion aurait lieu lundi. Illustration: Atelier

Read the first report and the later announcement. The first names members as its sources. The update gives the association’s announced decision. Watch which details change status between the two texts.

A report followed by an association announcement

Réunion annuelle : une nouvelle date ?

Jeudi matin · le journal

Selon deux membres de l’association Paroles partagées, la présidente serait absente1 vendredi. Elle aurait demandé2 le report de la réunion annuelle. La réunion aurait lieu3 lundi soir, mais cette date reste à confirmer.

Une autre membre, interrogée jeudi matin, dit avoir reçu la même information. Le bureau de l’association n’a pas encore répondu aux questions du journal. À ce stade, aucun message officiel n’annonce de nouvelle date.

Jeudi après-midi · le message de l’association

« La réunion annuelle est reportée à lundi, à 18 heures. La présidente sera présente. Elle a demandé ce changement mercredi afin de permettre à davantage de membres de participer. Nous remercions les personnes qui ont proposé une autre date. »

Read it in English

Thursday morning, the newspaper: According to two members of the association Paroles partagées, the president is reportedly to be absent on Friday. She is reported to have requested that the annual meeting be postponed. The meeting would reportedly take place on Monday evening, but this date remains to be confirmed. Another member, interviewed on Thursday morning, says she has received the same information. The association’s committee has not yet replied to the newspaper’s questions. At this stage, no official message announces a new date.

Thursday afternoon, the association’s message: “The annual meeting is postponed until Monday at 6 pm. The president will attend. She requested this change on Wednesday so that more members could take part. We thank the people who suggested another date.”

Read the whole verb group

A state, an earlier action and an arrangement
FrenchFormHow the report presents it
serait absentePresent conditional + adjectiveReported state on Friday
aurait demandéPast conditionalReported earlier request
aurait lieuPresent conditional of avoir lieuReported arrangement for Monday

Aurait lieu is a simple conditional form followed by the noun lieu. Aurait demandé has a past participle and is a past conditional. Both contain aurait, but their structures and time relationships differ.

Why does French news use the conditional?

Selon le message de l’association, la réunion aura lieu lundi.

According to the association’s message, the meeting will take place on Monday.

Selon names the source. Here the future indicative reports the announced arrangement.

The conditional marks the writer’s distance from an account; the information may later be confirmed. The morning report leaves the date open. The afternoon message announces it. A conditional ending alone tells you how a claim is presented, rather than settling whether it is true.

Check the report against the update

Question 1No account needed
What does the morning report say about Monday?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The date is proposed but still unconfirmed.. The phrase cette date reste à confirmer keeps Monday’s date open in the morning report.

Question 2No account needed
Which phrase reports an earlier action?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

aurait demandé. Aurait demandé is the past conditional: conditional avoir plus the participle demandé.

Question 3No account needed
What does the later announcement confirm?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The meeting is on Monday at 18:00.. The message announces Monday at 18:00. It says the president will attend that meeting.

Question 4No account needed
Which statement about selon is correct?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

It identifies a source and can accompany several tenses.. The example with aura lieu uses the future indicative after selon le message.

Keep going