French grammar
Il aurait une suite : le conditionnel des rumeurs
Pass on rumours you cannot confirm, using the conditionnel (il aurait, il porterait).
From the scene On dit que l'acteur… (They say the actor…)
In short
Unconfirmed news: put the verb in the conditional: l'acteur aurait une suite (reportedly has). It means reportedly, not would.
Your turn
Which one goes with reportedly, he wears…?
Options: il signerait… · il porterait… · il aurait…
Show answer
reportedly, he wears… → il porterait…
How it works
You already know on dit que and il paraît que.
Good to know
To pass on news you can't confirm, French can simply put the verb in the conditionnel: l'acteur aurait une suite énorme (the actor apparently has a huge suite), il signerait des autographes (he's said to sign autographs).
Good to know
You hear it in gossip and on the news — here it means 'reportedly', not 'would'.
reportedly, he has… il aurait…
reportedly, he wears… il porterait…
Elena
Il porterait des lunettes noires jour et nuit.
Apparently, he wears dark glasses day and night.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) des lunettes noires jour et nuit.
Options: Il signerait · Il porterait · Il aurait
Show answer
Elena
Il porterait des lunettes noires jour et nuit.
Apparently, he wears dark glasses day and night.
reportedly, he signs… il signerait…
Elena
Et il signerait des autographes par la fenêtre.
It's said that he signs autographs through the window.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Et (blank) des autographes par la fenêtre.
Options: il aurait · il porterait · il signerait
Show answer
Elena
Et il signerait des autographes par la fenêtre.
It's said that he signs autographs through the window.
reportedly, he's coming out… il sortirait…
Elena
Pas encore, mais il sortirait tôt demain matin.
Not yet, but they say he's coming out early tomorrow.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Pas encore, mais (blank) tôt demain matin.
Options: il sortirait · il aurait · il porterait
Show answer
Elena
Pas encore, mais il sortirait tôt demain matin.
Not yet, but they say he's coming out early tomorrow.
he must be (a guess) il doit être…
Tomás
Il doit être très célèbre, alors.
He must be very famous, then.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) très célèbre, alors.
Options: Il aurait · Il porterait · Il doit être
Show answer
Tomás
Il doit être très célèbre, alors.
He must be very famous, then.
Common mistake
Not ait or aurais here. A rumour: conditionnel.
À ce qu'on dit, l'acteur aurait une suite énorme.
They say the actor has a huge suite.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| reportedly, he has… | il aurait… |
|---|---|
| reportedly, he wears… | il porterait… |
| reportedly, he signs… | il signerait… |
| reportedly, he's coming out… | il sortirait… |
| he must be (a guess) | il doit être… |
More lines from the story
- ElenaÀ ce qu'on dit, l'acteur aurait une suite énorme.They say the actor has a huge suite.
- ElenaEh bien... les gens. Bon... c'est moi qui le dis.Well... people say. OK... I say it.