FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 PROFESSOR FELICIEN VICTOR PAGET 
 
 BY BEQUEST OF MADAME PAGET 
 
1beatb'0 flfeofcern OUnauaae Series 
 
 A PRACTICAL TREATISE 
 
 ON 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 CONSIDERED IN THEIR RELATION TO GRAMMAR 
 
 AND IDIOMS; WITH EXERCISES IN READING, COMPOSITION 
 
 AND CONVERSATION 
 
 ALFRED HENNEQUIN, PH.D. 
 
 PRINCIPAL OF "DR. HENNEQUIN'S SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES," BOSTON 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ( gwiVEMSITY ) 
 
 Of 
 
 BOSTON, U.S.A. 
 
 D. C. HEATH CO., PUBLISHERS 
 1899 
 
COPYRIGHT, 1899 
 BY D. C. HEATH & Co. 
 
1 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 WERE the Auxiliaries of Mode in the French language 
 treated at length in our grammars, or were there any French 
 work on the subject, I should feel called upon to apologize 
 for offering this little book to teachers and students. As 
 matters stand, I hope this practical Treatise will be of some 
 help to those who seek something more than a superficial 
 and misguiding knowledge of one of the most difficult and 
 also one of the most interesting features of the study of 
 French. 
 
 ALFRED HENNEQUIN. 
 
 BOSTON, September, 1899. 
 
/ 
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 PREFACE iii 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB DEVOIR 
 
 1. DEVOIR expressing " Indebtedness " ... i 
 
 (a) "Money Indebtedness" .... 2 
 
 (b) "Moral Debt" 4 
 
 2. DEVOIR expressing "Duty" 7 
 
 3. DEVOIR expressing "Moral Obligation ? ' . . 10 
 
 4. DEVOIR expressing "Futurity" 12 
 
 5. DEVOIR expressing "Necessity" .... 15 
 
 6. DEVOIR expressing "Certainty" . . . . 18 
 
 7. DEVOIR expressing "Supposition". ... 20 
 
 8. DEVOIR expressing "Justice" 23 
 
 9. DEVOIR used Idiomatically 26 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB FALLOIR 
 
 1. FALLOIR expressing "Necessity" .... 28 
 
 2. FALLOIR expressing "Obligation". ... 31 
 
 3. FALLOIR expressing "Difference Between" . 34 
 
 4. FALLOIR used Idiomatically 37 
 
Vi TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB POUVOIR 
 
 1. POUVOIR expressing "Ability, or Inability" . 39 
 
 2. POUVOIR expressing "Permission, or Liberty 
 
 to" 42 
 
 3. POUVOIR expressing "Possibility, or Impos- 
 
 sibility" 44 
 
 4. POUVOIR expressing "Desire, or Longing to" 47 
 
 5. POUVOIR used Idiomatically 50 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB SAVOIR 
 
 1. SAVOIR expressing "Knowledge, or Under- 
 
 standing" 52 
 
 2. SAVOIR expressing "Ability, or Inability" . 55 
 
 3. SAVOIR used Idiomatically 58 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB VOULOIR 
 
 1. VOULOIR expressing "Wish, Desire, Want" . 61 
 
 2. VOULOIR expressing "Determination, or 
 
 Command" 64 
 
 3. VOULOIR expressing "Willingness, or Con- 
 
 sent" 68 
 
 4. VOULOIR used Idiomatically 71 
 
OF TtiE 
 
 sg*, _, 
 
 / 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 THE French language has five verbs called Modal 
 Auxiliaries. 
 They are : 
 
 Devoir Pouvoir 
 
 Falloir Savoir 
 
 Vouloir 
 
 Each of the modal auxiliaries is used to express cer- 
 tain shades of meaning. 
 
 I 
 
 THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB 
 Devoir 
 
 The verb devoir expresses: 
 
 Indebtedness Necessity 
 
 Duty Certainty 
 
 Obligation Supposition 
 
 Futurity Justice 
 
 Idiomatic meanings 
 
 i. INDEBTEDNESS 
 The verb devoir expresses indebtedness : 
 
 (a) When money is involved. 
 
 (b) When a moral debt is implied. 
 
 When referring to money, devoir is usually translated 
 by to owe^ to be due, to be in debt, etc. 
 
2 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 When referring to a moral debt, devoir is usually 
 translated by to be indebted for, to be grateful for, etc., 
 or simply by to owe. 
 
 A. Money Indebtedness* 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Je dois deux cents dollars a 
 cet homme. 
 
 Ne vous doit-on pas beau- 
 coup d'argent? 
 
 Je lui ai du tres peu d'ar- 
 gent. 
 
 Nous leur devions plus de 
 mille francs. 
 
 Combien vous dois-je? 
 
 Us nous devraient des mil- 
 lions si nous avions suivi 
 votre avis. 
 
 Que je lui doive un dollar ou 
 cent dollars, cela revient 
 au meme : je ne peux pas 
 payer. 
 
 Je craignais qu'il ne vous 
 dut une forte somme. 
 
 I owe that man two hun- 
 dred dollars. 
 
 Is there not much money 
 due you? 
 
 I have been but very little 
 in his debt. 
 
 We owed them more than a 
 thousand francs. 
 
 How much do I owe you? 
 
 They would be millions in 
 our debt, had we listened 
 to you. 
 
 Whether I owe him one dol- 
 lar, or a hundred dollars, 
 it amounts to the same: I 
 cannot pay. 
 
 I was afraid he was heavily 
 indebted to you (owed 
 you much money). 
 
 READING 
 
 Combien vous dois-je? Vous ne me devez que cent 
 francs. Autrefois je vous ai du beaucoup d'argent. Vous 
 m'avez du et vous me devez encore une forte somme. Ne 
 
 * In this sense, the verb devoir is not a modal auxiliary. 
 
DEVOIR 3 
 
 leur deviez-vous pas autant qu'a moi? S'il m'avait du 
 de 1'argent, je vous 1'aurais dit. Je ne crois pas qu'il me 
 doive plus de trois cents dollars. Etait-il necessaire que 
 vous lui dussiez tant d'argent? Je leur disais que je ne 
 desirais pas qu'ils me dussent autant que vous me devez. 
 II croyait ne rien leur devoir. Je n'ai jamais du un sou a 
 qui que ce soit. Evitez de devoir et vous serez heureux. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 Please tell me how much I owe you. You owed me two 
 hundred dollars last week, but now you only owe me a few 
 cents. I have no money; I must be your debtor. Do 
 you know how much has been due to them? I have never 
 been so much in debt as I am now. He will never pay 
 me, whether he owes me {present subjective) little or much. 
 
 I have owed money all my life. He who has never owed 
 any money has always been rich. To owe is easy, to pay 
 is difficult. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Let the student translate the French sentences on the left side 
 of the page, and then give the correct answers, supplying the 
 required verbal forms in the other column. 
 
 Lui devez - vous beaucoup Oui ; je crois lui (verb) au 
 
 d'argent ? moins mille dollars. 
 
 II m'a dit que vous lui deviez Oui ; je lui en (verb) ; mais 
 de 1'argent ; est-ce vrai ? j'espere ne pas lui en (verb) 
 
 . longtemps. 
 
 Voulez-vous que je vous Non; je n'aime pas qu'on 
 
 doive cette somme? me (verb) de 1'argent. 
 
 Pourquoi ne lui pretez-vous Je sais fort bien qu'il ne me 
 
 pas dix dollars? II ne les (verb) pas longtemps; 
 
 vous les devra pas long- mais je n'ai pas d'argent a 
 
 temps. preter. 
 
FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Leur etait-il du plus de deux 
 
 mille dollars? 
 Combien vous serait-il du si 
 
 vous aviez vendu toutes 
 
 vos marchandises ? 
 II pretend ne rien me devoir; 
 
 est-ce croyable? 
 
 Ne m'avez-vous pas dit qu'il 
 vous serait du beaucoup 
 d'argent a la fin du mois? 
 
 Vous est-il du quelque chose ? 
 
 Oui; il leur (verb) de trois & 
 quatre mille dollars. 
 
 II me (verb) beaucoup moms 
 d'argent que si vous les 
 aviez vendues. 
 
 Je ne croyais pas qu'il vous 
 (verb, imp. subj.) un cen- 
 time. 
 
 Vous vous trompez : il ne me 
 (verb) que cent francs, 
 meme si j'avais fini mon 
 travail. 
 
 Non; il ne m' (verb) rien du 
 tout. 
 
 B. Moral Debt* 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Vous lui devez beaucoup; il 
 vous a sauve' la vie. 
 
 II n'a jamais realise qu'il me 
 devait tout son bonheur. 
 
 Ne nous devons-nous pas les 
 
 uns aux autres? 
 Je vous devrais plus que la 
 
 vie si vous faisiez cela 
 
 pour moi. 
 
 You owe him much; he has 
 
 saved your life. 
 He never did realize that 
 
 all his happiness was due 
 
 to me. 
 Should we not help one 
 
 another? 
 I should be indebted to you 
 
 for more than my life 
 
 were you to do that for 
 
 me. 
 
 * As with the case of money indebtedness, the verb devoir im- 
 plying a moral debt is not a modal auxiliary. 
 
DEVOIR 5 
 
 II craignait qu'il ne me dut He was afraid of being too 
 trop; il est si fier. y much indebted to me; he 
 
 is so proud. 
 
 Nous leur en avons du une We have always felt grateful 
 eternelle reconnaissance. to them for it (eternally 
 
 grateful). 
 
 Si vous faites cela pour lui, Will he care for you if you 
 vous en devra-t-il quelque do that for him (care 
 amour? more or less for you)? 
 
 Nous ne croyons pas que We do not believe we owe 
 nous lui en devions la him any love for it (none 
 moindre affection. whatever). 
 
 READING 
 
 J'ai souvent pense que c'etait a vous que je devais toute 
 ma prosperite. Songe-t-il, au moins, a tout ce qui vous est 
 du? Vous me devriez une eternelle reconnaisance si je le 
 faisais. Pensez-vous que je lui doive autant d'affection que 
 d'estime? Je n'ai jamais regu de mes enfants tout Pamour 
 qui m'etait du. Us ne vous devront que des remerciements. 
 Du respect? Oui; monsieur, vous m'en devez. S'ilTafait, 
 sans que nous Ten priions, nous lui devrons beaucoup. On 
 ne sait jamais a qui Ton doit les malheurs qui nous ac- 
 cablent. Vous dites qu'on ne vous a pas bien regu? On 
 vous a rendu ce qui vous etait du. Moi, vous devoir 
 quelque chose! Avez-vous perdu 1'esprit? 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 I owe him sincere thanks, but have not had the time to 
 write to him. I shall ever be indebted to her for all she 
 has done for us. To God, we owe our intellect; to our- 
 
6 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 selves, the duty to cultivate it. Why should we be grateful 
 to them? Children seldom give their parents all the love 
 they deserve (that is due to them). She will not consider 
 herself indebted to you if you tell her the truth. You 
 claim that I owe you respect; are you worthy of the least 
 consideration ? They would have been indebted to us for 
 their daily bread had they given us our dues. You owe it 
 to yourself, if to no one else. She realized how much he 
 had done in her behalf. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 A qui devez-vous les mo- 
 ments les plus heureux de 
 votre vie? 
 
 Me devriez-vous beaucoup 
 de reconnaissance si je 
 vous le disais? 
 
 De quoi vous plaignez-vous? 
 
 Pourquoi craignez-vous que 
 
 je ne lui en doive pas 
 
 assez de gratitude ? 
 Que ne vous devait-elle pas! 
 
 Le sait-elle? 
 Vos enfants vous doivent 
 
 beaucoup ; mais moins qu'a 
 
 moi. 
 Faites-le, et je vous devrai 
 
 le bonheur de toute ma 
 
 vie. 
 Vous dit-il qualque chose? 
 
 Je (verb) les plus heureux 
 moments de ma vie a mes 
 parents. 
 
 Oui; je vous en (verb) une 
 reconnaissance eternelle? 
 
 De ce que vous ne me (verb) 
 
 pas votre bonheur. 
 Vous ne faites jamais voir a 
 
 vos amis que vous leur 
 
 (verb) quelque chose. 
 Elle ne saura jamais tout ce 
 
 qu'elle me (verb). 
 Pourquoi pensez-vous qu'ils 
 
 vous (verb) plus qu'a moi? 
 
 En attendant, soyez satisfait 
 de ce que vous me (verb) 
 de'a. 
 
 Pourquoi ne me (verb, condi- 
 tional interrogative) rien ? 
 
DEVOIR 7 
 
 2. DUTY 
 
 The verb devoir expresses duty : 
 
 (a) When ought, in English, implies duty. 
 
 (b) When must does not convey an order, but 
 
 an admonition. 
 
 (c) When should has the meaning of ought, 
 
 and carries along with it an idea of 
 advice. 
 
 (d} When should stands for am to, was to. 
 
 NOTE. Devoir now becomes a modal auxiliary, and should be 
 followed by a verb in the infinitive. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Je sais que je devrais tout I know I ought to tell him 
 
 lui dire; mais je n'en ai all, but I have neither the 
 
 pas le courage, ni meme courage, nor the desire to 
 
 1'envie. do so. 
 
 Note that the conditional devrais points out a conditional relation 
 between a duty and a lack of courage and desire hence ought. The 
 present,/* dots, would express very much the same idea, but does not 
 tell quite so clearly that it would be a duty. Besides the present might 
 convey a different meaning altogether, as we shall see further on, 
 
 Ne realisiez-vous pas que Did you not realize you 
 vous deviez y etre alle ought to have gone with 
 avec lui? him? 
 
 Note that the imperfect deviez, points out, in the past, a duty which 
 ought to have been performed at the same time in the past, hence ought 
 to have gone. 
 
8 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Nous 1'avons fait parce que We did it because we believed 
 nous avons cru devoir le it our duty (to do it). 
 faire. 
 
 Note devoir in the infinitive because it follows cru. The idea of 
 duty might be expressed by ought: "we did it because we thought we 
 ought to do it." Yet ought would not quite express the idea that the 
 deed was done in the past; '''did it" and "ought" not necessarily 
 involving a concordance of tenses. 
 
 Us nous ont dit que nous au- They told us we ought to 
 rions du commencer plus have began earlier. It is 
 tot. C'est vrai. true. 
 
 Note the conditional past, aurions du; that is, a duty that ought 
 to have been performed earlier, the idea, for instance, of success, or 
 the fullfiiment of a certain task, being conditional upon an earlier 
 beginning. 
 
 N'ayez aucune crainte: le Have no fear; the first whose 
 premier qui doive le faire duty it is to do it, will 
 le fera. do it. 
 
 Note the subjunctive after le premier qui. There is, in this sentence, 
 a suggestion of a future idea, that is, "whose duty it will be to do it." 
 
 READING 
 
 Ne devriez-vous pas consulter vos amis avant de de'cider? 
 Je sais fort bien que je devrais leur en parler; mais il est 
 trop tard. II devait le faire (he ought to have done it) 
 pour me faire plaisir. II ne fait jamais ce qu'il devrait 
 faire. Nous ne pensions pas que nous dussions faire cela 
 pour eux. Qui pretend que nous devons le faire? Rien 
 ne nous y oblige. Us se le devaient a cause de leur repu- 
 tation. Pourquoi n'ont-ils pas cru devoir parler en notre 
 faveur? Elle a eu tort de croire qu'elle devait le faire pour 
 
DEVOIR 
 
 nous faire plaisir. II ne pensait pas qu'il dut le faire pour 
 vous etre agreable. Fais ton devoir. Que je doive le faire, 
 ou non, cela me regarde. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 He considers it his duty to do it. You ought to do it 
 for your own satisfaction. Did they not consider it their 
 duty to speak to your father? You say you did it because 
 you considered it a duty? Yes; I would have considered 
 it a duty sooner or later. Who is of my opinion (Who 
 thinks he ought to do it, etc.) ? I. They told us we ought 
 to have gone there with them. Even if it were my duty to 
 tell all I know, I would not say a word. I do not know what 
 I ought to write to your friend. It is your duty. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Nous sommes leurs amis ; ne 
 
 devaient-ils pas nous le 
 
 dire? 
 Us savent qu'ils devrairnt 
 
 nous en parler; mais ils 
 
 n'osent le faire. 
 Pourquoi n'ont-ils pas cru 
 
 devoir venir? 
 Dites-moi, je vous en prie, 
 
 ce que je dois faire. 
 N'auraient ils pas du penser 
 
 un peu plus a nous? 
 
 II m'a prie* de lui dire ce 
 qu'il devait demander. 
 
 Pourquoi n'a-t-elle pas cru 
 devoir se marie r? 
 
 Quoique vous soyez leurs 
 
 amis, je ne pense pas qu'ils 
 
 (verb) vous le dire. 
 Etes - vous certain qu'ils 
 
 sachent qu'ils (verb} vous 
 
 en parler? 
 IPs n'ont pas cru (verb) venir 
 
 sans qu'on le leur disent. 
 Ne savez-vous pas vous meme 
 
 ce que vous (verb) faire? 
 II n'est pas ton jours facile de 
 
 savoir ce qu'on (verb) 
 
 penser. 
 II ne (verb) rien demander; 
 
 c'eut e"te" bien plus simple. 
 Elle n'a pas cru (verb) se 
 
 marier a cause de son age. 
 
10 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 3. MORAL OBLIGATION 
 
 The verb devoir expresses a moral obligation when 
 the duty it implies appeals to our conscience. 
 
 Devoir is then closely related to duty in a general 
 sense, frequently adding to duty a sense of admonition. 
 
 When expressing a moral obligation, devoir should 
 be translated by must, should, ought, to be morally 
 obliged to, etc. 
 
 N. B. Let the student compare the following examples with those 
 used in Section 2. He will, in most instances, notice there is a marked 
 difference of meaning between mere duty and a moral obligation. 
 
 It is useless to repeat that, used as an auxiliary of mode, the verb 
 devoir should be followed by another verb. This applies to all modal 
 auxiliaries. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Un bon fils doit respecter 
 
 ses parents. 
 Je sais fort bien que je de- 
 
 vrais vous le donner. 
 II savait qu'il ne devait pas 
 
 en avoir parle. 
 N'auriez-vous pas du le lui 
 
 dire? 
 Je crains que je ne doive pas 
 
 faire eel a. 
 Us devraient bien penser a 
 
 nous. 
 Que ne devrions-nous pas 
 
 faire pour les autres ! 
 Elle savait aussi bien que 
 
 moi qu'elle ne devait pas 
 
 le faire. 
 
 A good son ought to respect 
 
 his parents. 
 I know very well I ought to 
 
 give it to you. 
 He knew he should not have 
 
 spoken about it. 
 Ought you not to have told 
 
 him? 
 I fear I ought not to do that. 
 
 They ought to think of us. 
 
 What should we not do for 
 
 others! 
 She knew as well as I she 
 
 should not do it. 
 
DEVOIR I I 
 
 READING 
 
 Ne sentez-vous pas qide vous devez le faire? Oui; je sais 
 que je devrais le faire; mais fait-on toujours ce qu'on doit 
 faire? II devrait n'y plus penser: cela le rend trop mal- 
 heureux, Une jeune fille doit etre modeste sans affecta- 
 tion. Us ne savent s'ils doivent en parler a votre pere. 
 On doit aimer la vie, meme quand on est malheureux. 
 Vous devriez chanter rien que pour nous faire plaisir. 
 Devoir faire quelque chose, et le faire, sont deux choses 
 bien differentes. Tout vous dit que vous devriez aller a 
 Peglise plus souvent. Je craignais que je ne dusse vous en 
 parler. Une voix interieure nous dit toujours ce que nous 
 devrions faire. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 I consider it my moral duty always to tell the truth. I 
 ought, out of self-respect, to do what I have promised to do. 
 You should learn your lessons, should it but be because 
 you owe it to your teacher. She knew she should have told 
 him all, but she did not dare do so. Be honest to thyself, 
 (fais ce que tu dots), come what may (advienne que pourra), 
 is a French saying. We had to believe (il nous fallut croire) 
 we were wrong ; we owed it to our self-respect (use the im- 
 perfect indicative of devoir). He will feel obliged to speak 
 about it, if he knows the difference between right and 
 wrong. He cannot have thought of the future; that is 
 what we ought always to do. If you knew you were morally 
 obliged to do it, would you do it ? 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 II me semble que vous de- Oui; je sais que je le (verb)-, 
 vriez savoir que vous de- mais je n'en ai pas le CQU- 
 vez le faire. rage, 
 
12 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Pourquoi ne lui a-t-elle pas 
 ecrit cette nouvelle? 
 
 Savent - ils qu'ils devraient 
 nous en parler? 
 
 Dites-moi que j'ai tort, et je 
 ne le ferai pas. 
 
 Ils craignent qu'ils ne 
 doivent pas faire cela tant 
 ils ont peur de mal faire. 
 
 Elle ne savait ce qu'elle de- 
 
 vait esprer. 
 II n'a pas cm devoir nous le 
 
 dire ; savez-vous pourquoi ? 
 
 Elle ne croyait pas (verb) la 
 
 lui ecrire. 
 Non ; ils ne savent jamais ce 
 
 qu'ils (verb} faire. 
 On ne (verb) pas demander 
 
 ce qu'on (verb) faire. 
 Dites-leur de faire ce qu'ils 
 
 croient (verb) faire. Qu'ils 
 
 se souviennent du pro- 
 
 verbe francais. 
 Elle (verb) savoir qu'on ne 
 
 (verb) pas le croire. 
 Selon lui il ne croit jamais 
 
 (verb) nous dire ce qu'il 
 
 sait. 
 
 4. FUTURITY 
 
 The verb devoir expresses futurity, generally of a 
 probable character. 
 
 When the verb devoir expresses a probable future, 
 it is usually rendered, in English, by am to, was to, 
 to expect to, to intend to, to contemplate (doing, etc., 
 something), to hope to (attaching no importance to it), 
 and other similar ideas. 
 
 Note that probable futurity calls for the present and past tenses 
 only, in the indicative and subjunctive moods. 
 
 Je dois alter a New York demain, " I am to go to New York 
 to-morrow," and je devais aller a New York hier, " I was to go to 
 New York yesterday," convey the idea that there is, or was, a probable 
 going to New York. 
 
 In either case, however, there may be an additional shade of duty, 
 or of a moral obligation. 
 
DEVOIR 13 
 
 If, on the other hand, we use the future or conditional, the idea of 
 futurity disappears almost entirely, the former conveying more an idea 
 of being obliged to, and the latter, a moral duty. 
 
 Tu devras aller a New York demain, " you will have to go to New 
 York to-morrow." 
 
 Je devrais aller a New York avec vous, " I ought (it is my moral 
 duty) to go to New York with you." 
 
 In both of these sentences, the idea of futurity is very secondary. 
 
 Let the student carefully compare the different exercises of this 
 section with those of the second and third sections. In some of the 
 sentences of each he will find two or more shades of meanings, the 
 actual meaning being, in many instances, the one a full text, or a 
 conversation would convey, that is, the "atmosphere" surrounding the 
 sentence. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Ne devez-vous pas aller a 
 Paris cette anne"e? 
 
 Ne devait-elle pas chanter 
 ce soir? 
 
 Ne devions-nous pas faire 
 cela ensemble? 
 
 Oui ; nous devious le faire en- 
 semble; mais nous avons 
 du n'y plus penser. 
 
 Je crains que je ne doive 
 aller a New York demain. 
 
 II me dit qu'il doit bientot 
 
 s'en aller. 
 Ne deviez-vous pas vous en 
 
 aller avec lui aujourd'hui? 
 
 Are you not to go to Paris 
 
 this -year? 
 Was she not to sing this 
 
 evening? 
 Were we net to do that 
 
 together ? 
 Yes, we were to do that 
 
 together, but we were 
 
 obliged to think no more 
 
 of it. 
 I am afraid I am to go to 
 
 New York to-morrow (not 
 
 necessarily made to go). 
 He tells me he is soon to go 
 
 away. 
 Did you not expect to go 
 
 away with him to-day? 
 
14 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 READING 
 
 II doit revenir d'un jour a Pautre. Ne doit-il pas partir 
 aujourd'hui? II devait partir hier; mais il est encore ici. 
 Vous deviez venir chez nous il y a plus d'un mois. Le 
 devais- je ? je Pai oublie. Oui ; vous deviez nous faire 
 une visite en revenant de Paris. Nous devons entreprendre 
 un grand travail cette annee. Mes freres doivent vous 
 aider, n'est-ce pas? Non; ils ne doivent que nous guider. 
 J'ai du aller en France cet ete; mais Pargent m'a manque. 
 Je ne pense pas que je doive m'en aller avant la fin du 
 mois. Nous devions vous ecrire hier; mais le temps 
 nous a manque. Quoiqu'ils dussent y retourner, ils ne 
 sont jamais revenus. Que ne dois-je pas faire d'ici a 
 demain ! 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 I am to write to my sister in a few days. He was 
 expected to arrive this morning at ten o'clock. He was 
 to go to Europe with us this year. They intend to begin 
 as soon as they reach home. She contemplates my going 
 instead of her. She has a mind to come back as soon as 
 she can. We were to start to-day, but we were unable to 
 do so. Who is to sing at the concert this evening? My 
 sister was to sing if yours were ill. Although he expected 
 to leave this month, he is still in Paris. I do not know 
 when he is to start. I was to go with him if he left early 
 in May. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Lequel de vous deux doit C'est moi qui (verb) m'en 
 
 s'en aller demain ? aller a ce qu'on dit. 
 
 Ne devait -elle pas revenir Oui, elle (verb) revenir ce 
 
 ce soir? matin avec ma sceur. 
 
DEVOIR 15 
 
 Quand devaient-ils vous Us (verb) m'ecrire des leur 
 
 ecrire? arrivee a Paris. 
 
 Ne devons-nous pas chanter On m'a dit que nous (verb) 
 
 ensemble a ce concert? chanter ensemble; mais 
 
 au prochain concert. 
 
 Qu'a-t-il dit? part-il aujour- II a dit qu'il (verb) partir; 
 
 d'hui? mais il est encore ici. 
 
 Je suis encore ici; mais j'ai En effet, on m'a dit que 
 
 du m'en aller plus d'une vous (verb) vous en aller 
 
 fois. au mois de Juin. 
 
 Ne devez-vous pas etudier Je (verb) le faire, si je 
 
 le frangais cette annee? trouve un bon maitre. 
 
 Que doivent - ils faire ce Us ne savent ce qu'ils (verb) 
 
 matin ? faire. 
 
 5. NECESSITY 
 
 The verb devoir expresses a necessity when a duty, 
 or moral obligation is not clearly involved although 
 hinted at. 
 
 Je dois vous en parler pour que ce ne soit pas lui qui 
 vous le dise. "It is necessary that I speak to you about 
 it, so that it be not he who tell it to you." 
 
 Note that/V dois expresses a necessity, originating in the speakers' 
 own feelings. 
 
 This sentence standing alone might mean I shall (some time in the 
 future) speak to you about it, or / am obliged to speak to you about it, it is 
 my duty to speak to you about it, etc. 
 
 In this instance, as in many others, it is the ensemble, i. e., the text, 
 or the circumstances calling for the sentence that decide the actual 
 shade of meaning. 
 
 However, the imperfect of the subjunctive of devoir, in {he 
 interrogative form, used as an exclamation, implies actual necessity, 
 rejecting any other possible shade of meaning. 
 
16 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Necessity, expressed with devoir, calls for various English forms, 
 such as : it is necessary, it is advisable, it is best, it is proper, to have to, 
 or simply must. 
 
 In the case cf the imperfect of the subjunctive ^ interrogative, used as 
 an exclamation, the English translation is usually: were I (tliou, he, 
 she, we, you, they) to, that is, were it necessary for me (or some one 
 else) to (see "Examples"). 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Pourquoi avez-vous cm que 
 vous deviez le faire? 
 
 Je vois bien que nous devons 
 vous aider 
 
 Us pensaient qu'ils devaient 
 parler Francais a Paris. 
 
 Vous devez letir en toucher 
 
 deux mots. 
 Nous ne pensons pas qu'elle 
 
 doive djonner tant de 
 
 de" tails. 
 Dusse - je etre blame", je le 
 
 ferai.* 
 Dut cela finir mal, fais-le. 
 
 Dussions - nous en mourir, 
 nous le ferons. 
 
 Why did you believe it was 
 necessary for you to do it? 
 
 I see, indeed, that we have 
 to help you. 
 
 They thought it was neces- 
 sary for them to speak 
 French in Paris. 
 
 It will be well for you to 
 give them a hint. 
 
 We do not think she need 
 give so many details. 
 
 Were I blamed (even if I 
 were blamed) I shall do it? 
 
 Even if that ends badly, 
 do it. 
 
 Were we to die for doing it, 
 we shall do it. 
 
 READING 
 
 Vous me dites que vous 1'avez fait quand vous avez dii 
 le faire? Je ne vous crois pas. Avez-vous pense que vous 
 deviez parler francais a Paris? Oui ; tout le monde croit 
 
 * Note the accent on dusse-je. 
 
DEVOIR I/ 
 
 qu'on doit parler la langue du pays. Dites-le nous pour 
 que nous sachions ce> que nous devons faire. Ecoutez-le! 
 que ne croit-il pas devoir dire? Nous separer! Oui; nous 
 le devons a notre bonheur futur. Dussiez-vous mourir de 
 faim, perseverez. Dut-elle ne plus m'aimer, je lui dirai la 
 verite. Dut-il pleuvoir, je sors. Dusse-je m'attirer sa 
 haine, je le ferai.* 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 Do it, if it is necessary to your happiness. It is neces- 
 sary for him to ask me if he wishes to know all. Ought I 
 really to go there? I did it because I deemed it best. It 
 is best you went there so as to see him. He believed it 
 was not necessary to speak about it. They had to say it 
 over and over again to be understood. I see you had to 
 do it for her sake. We do not think he will consider it a 
 necessity to do it. Even if she did come, I do not see 
 why you should not remain here. Were one to ask you to 
 repeat it, do not do it. Even if he be ruined, they will 
 not forsake him. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Dites-moi done pourquoi A ma place, n'auriez-vous 
 
 vous y etes alle' ? pas cru (verb) y aller ? 
 
 II me semble que vous Oui; vous avez raison : je 
 
 devez parler : cela les (verb), et je compte bien 
 
 aiderait. le faire. 
 
 Quand vous e'tiez a Paris, En arrivant, je croyais que 
 
 quelle langue avez -vous je (verb) parler frangaisc 
 
 parle' ? J'y ai parle' anglais. 
 
 Que ne doit-il croire, d'apres II (verb) croire que nous 
 
 ce que vous m'en dites! n'avons rien fait pour lui, 
 
 * Note the interrogative form dussfye. 
 
I 8 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Je vous engage a ne pas le (Verb)-\\ me hair, je lui 
 
 lui dire. dirai tout. 
 
 Dussiez-vous arriver en re- Oui ; (zw^)-nous n'arriver 
 
 tard, allez-y a pieds. qu'a la fin, nous y irons 
 
 a pieds. 
 Si vous continuez a agir (/^r^)-elle m'en vouloir (be 
 
 ainsi, je le lui dirai. angry with me), je con- 
 
 tinuerai. 
 On va penser que vous avez (Verfr)-on le penser, peu 
 
 peur. m'importe. 
 
 6. CERTAINTY 
 
 The verb devoir expresses a certainty when must, in 
 English, does not imply an order, an obligation, or a 
 possibility. 
 
 Tons les hommes doivent mourir, "all men must die." 
 
 Note that must % in this sentence, does not imply an order, an 
 obligation, or a possibility. 
 
 Note, however, that, besides certainty, the above sentence conveys 
 a slight idea of necessity. 
 
 Note too, that with the conditional of devoir, the meaning changes, 
 and that the idea of an obligation prevails. 
 
 Vous devez avoir fini, "you have (certainly) finished." 
 
 Vous devriez avoir fini, "you ought to have finished," i.e., there was 
 an obligation (which you should have felt) of finishing. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 II devra certainement en He must (or will) surely die 
 mourir. from it. 
 
 Je dis que vous devez Pavoir You certainly must have 
 
 fait. done it. I say it. 
 
 Nous devrons nous ruiner We are to (we certainly will) 
 
 pour le sauver. ruin ourselves to save him. 
 
DEVOIR 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF 
 
 On doit etre heureux quand 
 on a tant d'argent! 
 
 Us ont du voyager nuit et 
 
 jour. 
 II doit pleuvoir avant ce 
 
 soir. 
 Vous devez avoir tout ra- 
 
 conte. 
 Je vous assure qu'ils devront 
 
 nous le dire, si nous in- 
 
 sistons. 
 
 19 
 
 How not be happy with so 
 much money! (One must 
 be happy). 
 
 They must have travelled 
 night and day. 
 
 It will certainly rain before 
 evening. 
 
 You certainly did relate 
 everything. 
 
 I assure you they will cer- 
 tainly tell it to us, if we 
 insist. 
 
 READING 
 
 Toutes les feuilles doivent tomber par un tel froid. Us 
 doivent y etre aujourd'hui; je n'en ai aucun doute. Vous 
 devez avoir paye pour entrer; personne n'entre gratis. 
 Je sais fort bien que je dois y perdre toute ma fortune; 
 mais que faire? Ne doivent-ils pas m'en vouloir! (be 
 angry with me). II doit neiger cette nuit, je vous en pre- 
 viens. Certainement, ils doivent etre a Paris depuis long- 
 temps. II est souvent bien triste de penser qu'on doit un 
 jour mourir. On devra s'y amuser vu que vous y serez. 
 Que la vie serait triste sans vous! Si vous le dites, cela 
 doit etre. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 Life must be sad indeed without hope. He is certainly 
 coming: he never fails to come on Sundays. You will 
 certainly be ill if you persist in doing so much. They 
 knew they must die (that they certainly were to die), but 
 they did not waver. We must all die sooner or later, but 
 we are in no hurry. It will rain before to-morrow morning. 
 
2O FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 You must have forgotten to give him the money (you cer- 
 tainly did forget). They will be with us, you say? We 
 shall certainly enjoy ourselves. You, you should believe 
 me; you know that I never lie. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Pourquoi penser a la mort ? Parce que nous (verb) tous 
 
 mourir. 
 
 Non ; vous ne devez pas le Pourquoi pensez-vous que je 
 lui avoir dit. ne (verb) pas le lui avoir 
 
 dit? 
 Je vous assure qu'on doit Si vous y etes, on (verb fut.) 
 
 s'y amuser. s'y amuser. 
 
 II doit venir, puisque c'est Que vous me le disiez, 
 moi qui vous le dis. n'est pas une raison qu'il 
 
 (verb) venir. 
 
 Pourquoi done ne se sont-ils Us savaient qu'ils (verb) 
 pas mis a Pabri. etre mouilles avant la fin 
 
 de 1'orage. 
 
 Que pensez-vous du temps? Oui, il (verb) pleuvoir ; il 
 Va-t-il pleuvoir ? pleut tous les jours depuis 
 
 peu (of late). 
 
 Quand sera-t-elle a Paris ? Elle (verb) y etre depuis 
 
 deux jours. 
 
 7. SUPPOSITION 
 
 The verb devoir implies supposition when must, in 
 English, stands for "to suppose." 
 
 // a du faire cela pour me faire plaisir. " He must 
 have done that (I suppose he did that) to please me." 
 
 Note that il a du, while implying supposition, could also convey 
 an idea of certainty, or necessity. 
 
DEVOIR 
 
 21 
 
 Vous devez ne pas Vavoir compris^ " it must be you did not under- 
 stand him." 
 
 The "atmosphere" in which this sentence occurs alone could deter- 
 mine whether the speaker wishes to convey the idea of supposition, 
 or of certainty. It might mean: "I suppose you did not understand 
 him," or "you certainly did not understand him " 
 
 In certain cases the idea of duty, or of obligation might be involved. 
 
 Tout me dit que je dois parler. "Everything bids me to speak," 
 "tells me that I must speak," "that I should speak," "that it is 
 my duty to speak." However, in the proper " atmosphere," the meaning 
 might be limited to "I suppose I shall speak," i.e., that I shall have 
 a chance to speak, that I shall be called upon to speak. 
 
 Let the student note that obligation, or duty are best expressed 
 with the conditional, although the present can be used for the same 
 purpose. 
 
 Tout me dit que je devrais parler implies duty, or obligation, and 
 could not possibly convey an idea of supposition. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Nous avons du faire cela 
 
 pour vous etre agreable ; 
 
 voila ce qu'il dit, n'est-ce 
 
 pas ? 
 Us ont du le trouver a 
 
 1'heure qu'il est. 
 Tout me dit que vous devez 
 
 chanter. 
 
 Elle ne doit pas croire que 
 
 je le lui donnerai. 
 Vous etes si bon; vous avez 
 
 du etre bien ge'ne'reux. 
 L'ai-je vraiment dit? J'ai 
 
 du le dire, si 7 vous le 
 
 dites. 
 
 I suppose we did that in 
 order to please you. Is 
 that not what he says? 
 
 I suppose they have found 
 him by this time. 
 
 Everything points to your 
 singing. (I suppose you 
 will sing). 
 
 She must not suppose I am 
 going to give it to her. 
 
 You must have given liber- 
 ally: you are so generous. 
 
 Did I really say that? If 
 you say so, I must have 
 said it. (I suppose I did). 
 
22 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Je n'ai pas un seul ami au I have not a single friend 
 monde : je dois le savoir in the world: I suppose 
 (certainty). / ought to know. 
 
 READING 
 
 Elle a du etre bien malheu reuse, n'est-ce pas? Pourquoi 
 pensez-vous qu'elle ait du etre si malheureuse? L'honneur 
 me dit, n'est-ce pas, que je dois me taire? Pourquoi devez- 
 vous conclure que je n'ai plus d'espoir? Us doivent avoir 
 tout entendu; ils y etaient. Qu'en pensez-vous? Nous 
 devons avoir dit cela; mais je ne m'en souviens pas. Ils 
 ont du etre bien sots, si ce qu'on dit d'eux est vrai. Je ne 
 vous reverrai plus, dites-vous? Je dois done vous dire 
 adieu aujourd'hui. II aime tant a bavarder! II a du le 
 dire a tout le monde. Elle ne doit pas croire que tout 
 lui est permis, parce qu'elle est riche. Aucun de nous n'est 
 mort: nous avons du avoir bien de la chance. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 You must have been very fortunate not to have lost all 
 your money. I suppose 1 acted very foolishly, but so did 
 you. Why doubt it? he must have told them; yet he was 
 not the only one who knew it. I suppose they had a good 
 deal of courage. I am supposed to have lost all my money 
 (on dit que je dois). They must have heard him say it when 
 he was with us. You must not believe she is your friend. 
 They must have been there, otherwise how would she have 
 known it? They must not believe I am going to do that 
 for them. He is usually a gentleman: he must have 
 drunk too much wine. I suppose you were very kind 
 to him? 
 
DEVOIR 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Vous avez du etr# bien 
 
 triste sans eux ? 
 Pourquoi pense-t-elle que 
 
 j'ai du etre heureux ? 
 
 Us ont du y aller; du moins 
 
 j'aime a le croire. 
 Us durent avoir de Pam- 
 
 bition quand ils etaient 
 
 jeunes. 
 Pourquoi parlaient-ils ainsi ? 
 
 Je ne pense pas qu'ils 
 doivent Pavoir vue. 
 
 II a du etre bien malade ; 
 il est si pale. 
 
 Non ; ce sont eux qui (verb) 
 
 etre tristes. 
 Je (verb) le penser aussi. 
 
 Oui, vous (verb) encore 
 
 etre bien heureux. 
 Voyons, dites-moi pourquoi 
 
 vous (verb) le croire. 
 Vous avez raison; ils (verb) 
 
 avoir beaucoup d'ambi- 
 
 tion a cet age. 
 Ils (verb, imperfect) avoir 
 
 trop bu. 
 Au contraire ; ils (verb) 
 
 Pavoir vue. 
 Pourquoi (verb, interrogative) 
 
 avoir e'te malade ? II est 
 
 toujours pale. 
 
 8. JUSTICE 
 
 The verb devoir, conjugated reflexively, i.e., Se devoir, 
 is used to express an idea of justice, or a duty to one's 
 self. 
 
 The English translation is usually a circumlocution 
 such as "in all justice" "to be in duty bound to" "to 
 give one's help, one's efforts, one s good will, one s 
 money" etc., to a cause, a person, etc. 
 
 It also conveys an idea of being entitled to, to have by right, etc. 
 
 Je me dois aux pauvres, " I owe myself to the poor;" that is, in all 
 justice it is my duty to devote myself to helping the poor. 
 
 Je me dois bien cela, " I am well entitled to have (do, expect, grant, 
 etc.) that;" that is, I have a right (for instance; having done so 
 much for others) to do that (now) for myself. 
 
FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 - EXAMPLES 
 
 Le riche se doit a ceux qui 
 n'ont rien. 
 
 La mort vous laisse un 
 enfant a qui vous vous 
 devez. 
 
 Tous les bons rois ont tou- 
 jours cru qu'ils se de- 
 vaient a leurs sujets. 
 
 Dieu se devait a lui-meme 
 
 de rendre son image heu- 
 
 reuse. 
 On se devrait de planter des 
 
 arbres ici. 
 Je me dois bien un peu de 
 
 repos. 
 Quoique vous vous deviez a 
 
 vos enfants, vous faites 
 
 trop pour eux. 
 
 The rich man should (in all 
 justice) help those who 
 have nothing. 
 
 Death leaves you a child to 
 whom (in all justice) you 
 should devote yourself. 
 
 All good kings have always 
 believed they were in duty 
 bound (to protect, etc.) 
 to their subjects. 
 
 God owed it to himself to 
 bring about the happiness 
 of man (his own image). 
 
 It would be nothing but 
 right to plant trees here. 
 
 I have indeed earned a little 
 rest. 
 
 Although you should devote 
 yourself to your children, 
 you do too much for them. 
 
 READING 
 
 L'homme se doit a la femme a cause de la faiblesse du 
 sexe feminin. Ne vous devez-vous pas a votre patrie avant 
 tout? Je me devais de le faire; voila pourquoi je Fai fait. 
 II se devra d'y aller, s'il y pense. Elle s'e'tait du d'en 
 mourir. Ne se devaient-ils pas a cette cause. On se 
 devrait moins a ses enfants si on les aimait moins; ce qui 
 est impossible. II ne croyait pas qu'il se dut a ceux qui 
 Favaient aide'. Je crains fort que ce ne soit a vous que je 
 me doive. Elles se devaient a leurs enfants avant de se 
 
DEVOIR 25 
 
 devoir aux enfants des autres. N'oublie pas que tu te dois 
 quelque chose a toi-meme. Vous ne vous devez pas tant 
 de repos; vous n'avez, pour ainsi dire, rien fait. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 Even a poor man should help those in need. You owe 
 it to that child to look after him. They, in all justice, 
 ought to have told us. We should help one another in a 
 foreign country. The reason I did it, is because I felt 
 fortune made it a duty for me (because I owed it to myself, 
 on account of my fortune). In all justice, he thought he 
 ought to do it for his own sake. It is a duty to ourselves 
 to tell all we know. He never believed it was doing justice 
 to himself to tell the truth. Think well whom you are in 
 duty bound to assist. They should have looked after their 
 children : that was their first duty to themselves. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 A qui vous devez -vous le 
 
 plus ? 
 A qui se doit-on le plus ? 
 
 Ne se doivent-ils pas a cette 
 
 bonne cause ? 
 Ne vous deviez-vous pas un 
 
 peu plus a son bonheur ? 
 A qui pensez-vous que vous 
 
 vous devez maintenant ? 
 
 Je me dois de leur dire la 
 verite'. 
 
 Je (verb) le plus a ceux qui 
 
 m'ont aide. 
 On (verb) a Dieu, a sa 
 
 patrie et a ses parents. 
 Oui, il n'y a aucun doute 
 
 qu'ils (verb, with y\ 
 Non; je ne (verb, with y) 
 
 pas, pas du tout. 
 Je (verb, imperfect) en temps 
 
 de guerre a ma patrie; je 
 
 me (verb) a present a ma 
 
 famille. 
 Non, vous ne vous le (verb) 
 
 pas. 
 
26 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 II s'est du a ce qu'il avait Non ; quand on promet 
 promis; a-t-il eu tort ? quelque chose, on (verb, 
 
 with y} tou jours. 
 
 9. DEVOIR USED IDIOMATICALLY 
 
 The principal idioms formed with devoir are : 
 
 1. Devoir de retour. To owe something over and above 
 
 the bargain. 
 
 2. Devoir tribut a. To owe respect to, to be slave to, 
 
 to be held as subject to, etc. 
 
 3. Devoir de reste. To still be owing, not to be satisfied 
 
 with what one has received. 
 
 4. En devoir a. To bear ill-will to, to be angry with 
 
 (somebody). 
 
 5. N'en rien (or guere) devoir (also conjugated reflexively). 
 
 Not to be inferior to, to be as good as (to equal). 
 
 6. Qui doit a tort. He who owes must pay. 
 
 7. Fais ce que tu dois, advienne que voudra. Do what is 
 
 right; come what may. 
 
 8. Qui a terme ne doit rien. Nothing is due until rent- 
 
 day. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Quoique vous m'ayez paye Although you have paid me 
 
 toul: ce que vous me all you owed me, there 
 
 deviez, vous me devez still remains something 
 
 encore quelque chose de due to me (you are still 
 
 retour. my debtor). 
 
 D'autant plus que Phonneur Honor being dearer to me 
 
 m'est plus cher que la than life, I consider myself 
 
 vie, d'autant plus je vous (considering all you have 
 
 dois de retour. done) your debtor. 
 
DEVOIR 
 
 Une femme doit tribut a la 
 
 mode. 
 Bien des peuplades doivent 
 
 tribut a ce roi. 
 II croit toujours qu'on lui 
 
 en doit de reste. 
 
 Pourquoi pensez-vous qu'on 
 vous doive de reste? 
 
 Je vous en devrai toujours: 
 
 je ne puis vous pardon- 
 
 ner. 
 Je lui en devais ; je me suis 
 
 venge. 
 Votre travail n'en doit rien 
 
 au sien; il est meme plus 
 
 artistique. 
 Us ne s'en doivent guere: 
 
 ils se valent en mechan- 
 
 cete'. 
 Qui doit a tort, n'est que 
 
 trop vrai! 
 
 Le proverbe: fais ce que tu 
 dois, advienne que pourra, 
 est encourageant. 
 
 Je ne suis pas oblige de 
 vous payer aujourd'hui. 
 Qui a terme ne doit rien. 
 
 Qui a terme ne doit rien 
 n'est vrai qu'a la surface. 
 
 A woman should follow (is 
 
 slave to) fashion. 
 Many a tribe owes tribute 
 
 to (is slave to) this king. 
 He is never satisfied with 
 
 what he has. 
 
 What makes you think people 
 are still owing you? 
 
 I shall ever be angry with 
 
 you: I never can forgive 
 
 you. 
 I bore him ill-will; I have 
 
 avenged myself. 
 Your work is, in no way, 
 
 inferior to his; it is even 
 
 more artistic. 
 Their wickedness is about 
 
 equally great; one is as 
 
 wicked as the other. 
 Not to be able to pay, is 
 
 indeed sad! (Is but too 
 
 true). 
 The proverb: do thy best, 
 
 come what may, is indeed 
 
 encouraging. 
 
 My rent is not due; I am 
 not obliged to settle 
 to-day. 
 
 Not to be owing because 
 the time is not up, is only 
 true on the surface. 
 
28 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 II 
 
 THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB 
 Falloir 
 
 The verb falloir expresses: 
 
 Necessity, need, or want Difference between 
 
 Obligation, or duty Idiomatic meanings 
 
 1. NECESSITY, NEED, WANT 
 
 The V^Q falloir expresses necessity when it rejects any 
 idea of an order having been given, or of an obligation. 
 
 II faut du pain pour vivre, "bread is necessary to life." 
 
 Note that avoir is understood, i.e., il faut (avoir) du pain pour vivre. 
 
 II faudra le lui dire tot ou tard, "it will be necessary to tell it to him 
 sooner or later," i.e., it must become a necessity sooner or later. 
 
 J"ai prie en vain: il m'a repondu qu'it faudra le lui dire tdt ou tard. 
 "I begged in vain: he answered me that he must be told of it sooner 
 or later." 
 
 Note that the meaning is changed, the additional clause adding 
 to the idea of necessity that of an obligation which now becomes the 
 dominant idea. 
 
 With the conditional, i.e., il faudrait le lui dire, " it would be neces- 
 sary to tell it to him," an additional clause, bearing upon the necessity 
 would slightly alter the meaning; thus: 
 
 II faudrait le lui dire s'il etait id, means : " he would have to be told 
 if he were here," (it would become more than necessary to tell him if 
 he were here). 
 
 The idea of necessity, need, or want, can, however, be expressed by 
 the conditional without a conditional clause being introduced. 
 
FALLOIR 29 
 
 // nous faudrait <ie V argent, " what we need (what we are in want of, 
 what would be necessary to us) is money." 
 
 N. B. Let the student remember that/fl//0/r, followed by que calls 
 for the subjunctive. 
 
 Je ne crois pas qu'il faille quej^y aille, " I do not think it is necessary 
 that I should go there." 
 
 A better construction is: je ne crois pas falloir y aller. 
 
 Note the omission of qu?. 
 
 When falloir stands for au besoin ("if need be," "in case of need") 
 the idea of necessity asserts itself. 
 
 Au besoin, dites-le lui, "if need be, tell it to him," could be equally 
 well expressed by s'il le faut, dites-le lui. 
 
 The idea of -want, or need is further explained in connection with 
 falloir involving difference between (see section 3). 
 
 Let the student compare the use of falloir expressing a necessity 
 with devoir expressing the same idea (see chapter I, section 5). 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 II lui fallait de Pargent pour He needed money for that. 
 
 cela. 
 
 J'ai le cheval qu'il vous I have the horse you need 
 
 faut. (or want). 
 
 II faudrait mille personnes A thousand persons would 
 
 pour faire cela. be necessary to do that. 
 
 II a fallu un Napoleon a It was necessary for France 
 
 la France pour lui faire to have a Napoleon to 
 
 aimer la paix. make her love peace 
 
 (France had to have, etc.). 
 
 II me faut des amis partout I need friends wherever I 
 
 ou je vais. go. (It is necessary for 
 
 me to have, etc.). 
 
 Combien vous faut-il pour How much do you want 
 
 vos marchandises ? (ask) for your goods? 
 
30 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 II m'aurait fallu votre I should have had you help 
 
 aide. me. 
 
 Savez-vous, vous-meme, ce Do you know yourself what 
 
 qui vous faudrait ? you would need? 
 
 Nous ne pensions pas qu'il We did not think we should 
 
 nous fallut tant d'argent. need so much money. 
 
 READING 
 
 Je ne crois pas qu'il nous faille tant d'argent. Avez- 
 vous rec,u tout ce qu'il vous faut? II leur faudra au moins 
 mille dollars pour leur voyage. Que lui faut-il encore? 
 Elle veut done le monde ! II craignait qu'il ne lui fallut 
 plus de patience. J'ai bien peur qu'il ne vous faille ce que 
 je n'ai pas. Je sais fort bien ce qu'il me faut, et ce qu'il 
 vous faudrait. II faut du courage pour etre soldat. Que 
 n'ai-je ce qu'il lui faut! Je le lui donnerais. Qu'il vous 
 le faille, ou non, vous ne 1'aurez pas. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 I know what is necessary; let me do it for you. They 
 need more books on that subject. Did they tell you what 
 they were in want of? He knows what I want, but he 
 says he has it not. I do not think you need so much 
 money. Who would have thought he had all that was 
 necessary? You know what we need as well as we do. 
 Do they need that? They do (need it), do they not? He 
 did not believe he would need that book. All my life 
 long, I have needed some one to help me. What shall 
 you want for your trip ? I shall want many things. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Avez-vous tout pris? II y a Je n'ai pris que ce qu'il me 
 tant de choses. (verb). 
 
FALLOIR 31 
 
 Vous n'aurez pas assez d'ar- Je ne crois pas qu'il nous 
 
 gent; croyez-moi; il vous (verb) plus de cent francs. 
 
 en a deja tant fallu! Ce sera tout ce qu'il nous 
 
 (verb, future). 
 
 Pourquoi ne vous faut-il que II me (verb) bien moins 
 
 si peu de choses? qu'aux autres; j'ai plus 
 
 d'argent qu'eux. 
 
 Ont-elles fait une liste de Oui; cette liste represente 
 
 tout ce qu'il leur est ne- tout ce qu'il leur (verb) 
 
 cessaire ? absolument. 
 
 Que me faudra-t-il a la A la peche, il vous (verb) de 
 
 peche? la patience. 
 
 Je sais fort bien ce qu'il Et moi, je sais ce qu'il vous 
 
 vous faudrait. (verb). 
 
 2. OBLIGATION 
 The verb f alloir expresses obligation : 
 
 (a) When the obligation arises from an order 
 
 or a command. 
 
 (b) When the obligation is suggested by a 
 
 strong sense of duty. 
 
 (c) When we need to emphasize an idea of 
 
 necessity. 
 
 Note that, in most instances, f alloir is then translated by must, or 
 by some circumlocution expressing obligation, such as "to be obliged 
 to," "to be made to," "to have received order to," etc. 
 
 Note also that shall, in English, when not used in the first person 
 (singular, or plural), i.e., when not implying mere futurity, often 
 corresponds to must, and, therefore, calls tor f alloir. 
 
 Note, further, that the conditional weakens the idea of obligation, 
 and that necessity becomes the dominant idea. 
 
 II faudrait It lui dire, "it might be well to tell it to him." 
 
FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Let the student study the following sentences: 
 
 II f ant qrfil soit fou pour avoir dit cela, "he must be crazy to have 
 said that." 
 
 This sentence expresses an obligation not resulting from an order. 
 
 // faut que vous y alliez, "you must go there." 
 
 This sentence expresses an obligation resulting from an order. 
 
 // nous faut lire cet ouvrage, " we must read that work." 
 
 This sentence expresses a strong sense of duty. 
 
 Vous a-t-il fallu depenser tout votre argent? "Did you have to (was 
 it absolutely necessary for you to) spend all your money?" 
 
 II faut qrfil vienne, "he shall come." 
 
 This sentence expresses an order, and not mere futurity. 
 
 N.B. Let the student compare falloir and devoir expressing 
 obligation. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 II faut que nous y soyons a 
 
 midi. 
 II faudra le lui dire, tot ou 
 
 tard. 
 
 II m'a fallu le faire; mais 
 bien malgre moi. 
 
 fe vous avais dit qu'il fallait 
 
 commencer aujourd'hui. 
 II leur faudra dire tout ce 
 
 qu'ils savent. 
 II nous aurait fallu le leur 
 
 refuser. 
 Quoi qu'il vous faille, vous 
 
 en demandez trop. 
 Je ne crois pas qu'il leur ait 
 
 fallu la voir. 
 
 We must be there at noon. 
 
 You will have to tell him 
 
 (he will have to be told) 
 
 sooner or later. 
 I had to (I was obliged to) 
 
 do it, but much against 
 
 my will. 
 I had told you you had to 
 
 begin to-day. 
 They will be made to say 
 
 all they know. 
 We should have been obliged 
 
 to refuse it to them. 
 Whatever you say you must 
 
 have, you exact too much. 
 I do not think they were 
 
 obliged to see her. 
 
FALLOIR 33 
 
 READING 
 
 Que cela vous soit agreable, ou non, il faut que vous le 
 fassiez. II faudra que vous y alliez avec nous; votre pere 
 le veut. 11 fallait qu'il fut bien malade pour avoir pense a 
 cela. II vous faudra plus d'argent pour votre entreprise. 
 II lui a fallu retourner; le climat etait malsain. Vous dites 
 qu'il faut que vous le fassiez? Je ne crois pas qu'il vous 
 faille le faire. II faudrait le lui dire s'il venait. Croyez- 
 moi; il vous faudra payer tout le monde. II faut toujours 
 dire la verite. Bon gre, mal gre, il vous faut me payer. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 You will not do it? I say you must. Must we go with 
 them if they decide to go there? What you would have 
 to have, is plenty of money. Do not invite them: if you 
 do, you will have to pay their expenses. They say that 
 they were obliged to (that they were made to) work night 
 and day. I do not believe that she needs so many dresses 
 at her age. He must have been very angry to say such a 
 thing. How much one must study to master a foreign 
 language! Yes; I know how constantly one must study. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Que faut-il que je fasse? Vous savez fort bien ce qu'il 
 
 vous (verb) faire. 
 
 A quelle heure faut-il que II (verb) que nous y soyons 
 
 nous y soyons? de bonne heure. 
 
 Que leur faudra-t-il dire si II (verb) leur dire que je les 
 
 on les trouve ici? ai invites. 
 
 II me faut cela: donnez-le- Quoiqu'il vous (verb) cela, 
 
 moi. vous ne 1'aurez pas. 
 
 A-t-il fallu qu'il aille en cour Oui; et il lui (verb) preter 
 
 de justice? serment centre moi. 
 
34 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Combien d' argent, dites- II ne me (verb} pas un sou 
 vous, qu'il vous faut ? de moins. II me (verb) 
 
 mille dollars. 
 
 Pourquoi ai-je eu tort de Vous avez eu tort de dire 
 dire ce que j'ai dit? cela, parce qu'il (verb) 
 
 toujours dire la verite'. 
 
 Je refuse d'y aller; et je n'y Eh, bien! Moi, je vous dis 
 irai pas. qu'il vous (verb) y aller. 
 
 3. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 
 
 The verb falloir expresses difference between: 
 
 When the idea of lacking, or wanting is implied. 
 
 In such cases, the verb is impersonal, and is conju- 
 gated refiexively with en, i.e., s'en falloir. 
 
 The idea of difference, however, is only implied ; for 
 instance : 
 
 // s*en faut que toute la somme y soit. "The amount 
 is, by no means, entire"; that is, there is a difference 
 between the amount required and the amount mentioned. 
 
 Note that beaucoup, pen, rien, guere^ lant, and other adverbs, 
 are often used with s^en falloir. 
 
 Note also that s*en falloir que calls for the subjunctive. 
 
 The usual translation of s'en falloir is "to be wanting," "to be 
 lacking," "there is a difference between," "to be (more or less) far 
 from, etc." 
 
 Note also the use of de with such expressions as: 
 
 // s'enfallut de beaucoup que tout le monde y fut^ "everybody was far 
 from being there " 
 
 If, however, the sentence begins with an adverb, de is not always used. 
 
 Peu s*en fallut que tout le monde y fut, "every one came near being 
 there." 
 
FALLOIR 
 
 35 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 II ne peut s'en falloir tant. 
 
 II ne s'en fallait rien que 
 la fortune ne le rendit 
 heureux. 
 
 II ne s'en est pas fallu 
 1'epaisseur d'un cheveu. 
 
 II s'en faut de beaucoup 
 qu'elle n'ait acheve ce 
 qu'elle a entrepris. 
 
 II s'en faut peu de chose 
 que cela n'aille. 
 
 De combien s'en est-il fallu ? 
 
 Je ne crois pas qu'il s'en 
 faille autant que vous le 
 dites. 
 
 There cannot be such a 
 difference. 
 
 Wealth almost made him 
 happy. (He came near 
 being happy through 
 wealth). 
 
 It came within a hair's 
 thickness (that . . . some- 
 thing happened, etc.). 
 
 She is far from having 
 finished what she has 
 undertaken. 
 
 That almost goes (fits, suits, 
 is well, etc.). 
 
 How nearly was it brought 
 about? 
 
 There cannot be so great a 
 difference as you say. 
 
 READING 
 
 II s'en faudrait d'un mot pour qu'il se fachat. II s'en 
 faut de'ja assez sans que vous nous disiez qu'il s'en faut 
 d'avantage. Vous dites qu'il s'en faut de beaucoup que 
 toute la somme y soit? II s'en est fallu d'une minute qu'il 
 ne soit arrive a temps. Voyons, dites-moi; de combien 
 s'en faut-il? II s'en faut, voyons, d'au moins mille dollars 
 que vous ne m'ayez tout paye. II s'en fallait de peu de 
 chose qu'elle ne m'acceptat. Qu'il s'en faille peu, ou qu'il 
 s'en faille beaucoup, cela m'est bien e'gal. N'oubliez pas 
 de lui dire de combien il s'en faudra. II ne s'en faut guere, 
 ou fort peu de chose. 
 
FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 COMPOSITION * 
 
 I am afraid a great deal will be lacking. He came 
 within an inch of being killed. We are far from having 
 finished. I do not think there can be so great a difference 
 as you say. That is not true; far from it. That position 
 almost suits me (II s'en faut de peu que cette place ne 
 m'aille). If she did not fall out of the window, she came 
 close to doing so. How nearly did he pay you up? More 
 would still be due, had I not paid all the small accounts. 
 This cloth is blue, or just about. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 De combien s'en faudrait-il 
 si je vous donnais cent 
 francs? 
 
 Vous dites qu'il est presque 
 arrive a temps? 
 
 N'oubliez pas de lui dire de 
 combien il s'en faudra. 
 
 Voyons, dites la ve'rite, au- 
 rez-vous bientot fini? 
 
 La difference est-elle aussi 
 grande qu'on le pense? 
 
 Peu s'en est fallu, n'est-ce 
 pas, qu'elle ne mourut? 
 
 II (verb) encore de beaucoup 
 que je puisse tout payer. 
 
 Oui; il (verb) de moins de 
 temps qu'il ne me faut 
 pour le dire. 
 
 Je ne sais pas moi-meme de 
 combien il (verb). 
 
 He'las ! non ; il (verb) de beau- 
 coup que nous n'ayons 
 fini. 
 
 C'est possible; mais je ne 
 crois pas qu'il (verb) au- 
 tant qu'on le dit. 
 
 Oui; elle a e'te bien malade. 
 Elle etait morte a dix 
 heures, ou peu (verb). 
 
 * This exercise presents many difficulties owing to the numerous 
 different ways of expressing the idea of difference bet-ween in English. 
 I would advise the student to study most carefully the sentences in 
 the "Examples" and "Reading" exercise of this lesson. 
 
FALLOIR 37 
 
 4. FALLOIR USED IDIOMATICALLY 
 
 _JL Falloir voir. To be grand, extraordinary, you (or some- 
 one else) should have seen, it was, is, worth seeing, etc. 
 
 2. C'est ce qu'il faudra voir. That remains to be seen. 
 
 I (or some one else) will object, not if I (or some one 
 else) can help, or prevent it, etc. 
 
 3. Comme il faut. * Quite proper, gentlemanly, ladylike, 
 
 fashionable, in a thorough manner, as it should be, etc. 
 
 4. Pourquoi faut-il (or fallait-il) que ... why is it (or was it) 
 
 that; why did I (or some one else) not refrain from, etc.? 
 
 5. II faudra falloir. To have to make up one's mind to, 
 
 to feel that one will be obliged to, etc. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Rien n'etait plus beau. II Beautiful? nothing was more 
 
 fallait voir! beautiful. It was grand! 
 
 Vous dites qu'il me faudra You say I will have to do it? 
 
 le faire? C'est ce qu'il that remains to be seen; 
 
 faudra voir. not if I can help it. 
 
 Us y iront sans moi, dites- You say they will go without 
 
 vous? C'est ce qu'il fau- me? That will (or would 
 
 dra (or faudrait) voir. have) to be seen. 
 
 Je ne comprends pas que I do not understand your 
 
 vous n'aimiez pas ce mon- dislike to that gentleman: 
 
 sieur; il est tout a fait he is quite proper; he is 
 
 comme il faut. a perfect gentleman. 
 
 Ne touchez pas a 1'appa- Do not alter the appearance 
 
 rence de la table: elle est of the table; it is as it 
 
 toute comme il faut. should be. 
 
 * Not to be mistaken for comme il en faut. In this form, 
 en stands for a person, or a thing spoken of, or involved, hence "such 
 as is needed," 
 
FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Pourquoi faut-il qu'il y soit 
 
 alle! 
 Pourquoi fallait-il qu'il se 
 
 tuat! 
 
 11 faudra (or faudrait) falloir 
 tout lui dire. 
 
 Why is it he went there! 
 
 What made him go there! 
 Why did he kill himself! 
 
 (all would have been right, 
 
 had he not). 
 We shall have to tell him 
 
 all. We might be obliged 
 
 to tell him all. 
 
POUVOIR 39 
 
 Ill 
 
 THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB 
 Pouvoir 
 
 The verb pouvoir expresses : 
 
 Ability ', or Inability Possibility, or Impossibility 
 
 Permission, or Liberty to Desire, or Longing to 
 Idiomatic meanings 
 
 1. ABILITY, OR INABILITY 
 
 The verb pouvoir expresses ability, or inability when 
 involving a capacity to, an aptitude to, efficiency, talent, 
 to be in a condition to, etc. (or not to ). 
 
 Je peux (or puts) monter a cheval. "I can ride horse- 
 back;" i.e., I am able to, or can (now, after an illness, for 
 instance) ride horse-back. 
 
 Mon enfant peut deja marcher. " My child can already 
 walk." 
 
 Je ne peux pas encore monter a cheval. "I cannot yet 
 ride horse-back." 
 
 Note that, in the above examples, the idea of possibility, or impossi- 
 bility might be inferred, i.e., " it is possible, or not yet possible for me 
 to ride horse-back. It will, however, be seen, farther on, that the idea 
 of possibility or impossibility, is more frequently expressed with 
 ouvoir, used impersonally, i.e., se pouvoir. ^^\ ERA fTyN^ 
 
 f TWF 
 
FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Je ne pouvais pas parler 
 frangais 1'annee derniere. 
 
 II pourra y aller avec nous 
 s'il est chez lui. 
 
 Nous pouvions mieux mar- 
 cher quand nous etions 
 en France. 
 
 Je ne crois pas qu'il puisse 
 nous dire tout ce qu'il 
 a vu. 
 
 II /audrait que vous pussiez 
 lui donner de 1'argent. 
 
 Sans songer oil je vais, je 
 me sauve oil je puis. 
 
 II peut beaucoup, s'il fait 
 un effort. 
 
 I was not able to speak 
 
 French last year. 
 He will be able to go with 
 
 us if he is at home. 
 We could walk better when 
 
 we were in France. 
 
 (Walking was easier.) 
 I do not believe he will be 
 
 able to tell us all he has 
 
 seen. 
 It would be well if you could 
 
 give him some money. 
 Without knowing where I 
 
 am going, I flee where 
 
 I can. 
 He is able to do much if 
 
 he makes an effort. 
 
 READING 
 
 Non, vraiment; je ne le peux. II faut bien lui repondre 
 comme on peut. Apres avoir fait cela, on peut etre con- 
 tent de soi. Puis-je jamais assez vous aimer! Le fera qui 
 pourra. Qui pourrait etre malheureux avec vous? II ne 
 croyait pas qu'il put arriver a temps. Certainement qu'il 
 le peut; je sais ce que je dis. Je pouvais beaucoup quand 
 j'etais riche; a present, je puis beaucoup moins. J'ai pu 
 1'aider alors qu'il en avait le plus besoin. Si j'avais pu y 
 aller avec lui, cela ne serait pas arrive. Dites-lui simple- 
 ment que vous ne pouvez pas le faire. Je crains que je ne 
 le puisse. 
 
POUVOIR 41 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 I did not believe he was able to do that. He could (do) 
 very little for you if he were poor. Of course, they can, 
 (do it) but they are not rich enough to do it. I never 
 could be unhappy where you are. I was unable to help 
 him; he asked me too late. They will be unable to come 
 here to-day. Were you able to resist his arguments? We 
 could (do) very much for them, but now we can (do) but 
 little. I have been unable to see your friend this morning, 
 but I hope to be able to see him to-morrow. He said he 
 feared he might not be able to help me. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Avez-vous pu Paider? 
 Personne ne peut le faire: 
 
 pourquoi Pessayer? 
 Pourrait-il parler frangais 
 
 s'il avait etudie en Ame- 
 
 rique ? 
 Pensez-vous qu'il puisse y 
 
 aller cette annee? 
 Ont-ils pu beaucoup pour 
 
 eux? 
 Pouvez-vous me preter cent 
 
 francs ? 
 
 Ont-ils pu le lui dire a 
 temps? 
 
 Pourquoi etes-vous si in- 
 quiet ? 
 
 Non, je n' (verb, with rieri). 
 Moi; je vous dis que je 
 
 (verb) le faire. 
 Certainement qu'il (verb) 
 
 parler frangais. On Pen- 
 
 seigne tres bien ici. 
 Non; je ne crois pas qu'il 
 
 le (verb). 
 Non; ils n' (verb, with que 
 
 fortpeu). 
 Je ne (verb) le faire; je vous 
 
 les preterais si je le 
 
 (verb). 
 Non ; ils n' (verb) le lui dire 
 
 avant sa mort. 
 Je crains qu'il ne (verb) me 
 
 payer ce qu'il me doit. 
 
FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 2. PERMISSION, OR LIBERTY TO 
 
 The verb pouvoir expresses permission, or liberty 
 to, when it involves a prayer, making, or granting, a 
 request. 
 
 Puis-je y aller avec vous? "May I go with you?" 
 Vous pouvez le faire si cela vous fait plaisir. "You may 
 do it if it gives you any pleasure." 
 
 Note that vous pouvez y aller might mean "you can go," i.e., you 
 are able to go ; but if we add si cela vous fait plaisir, the idea of 
 granting a request becomes evident. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Puis-je aller voir si votre 
 
 frere est la ? 
 Vous m'aviez dit que je 
 
 pouvais y aller avec vous. 
 
 Je ne crois pas qu'il puisse 
 venir; sa mere Ten em- 
 pechera. 
 
 Nous pouvons faire ce que 
 bon nous semble; on nous 
 1'a permis. 
 
 J'ai prie en vain; je ne peux 
 aller a Paris avec vous. 
 
 May I go and see if your 
 brother is there? 
 
 You had told me I would 
 be allowed (I might, could) 
 to go there with you. 
 
 I do not think he will be 
 at liberty to come; his 
 mother will prevent him 
 (doing so). 
 
 We have permission to do 
 whatever we please. (We 
 have been given permis- 
 sion to .) 
 
 I asked in vain; they will 
 not let me go (I may not, 
 can not) go to Paris with, 
 you. 
 
POUVOIR 43 
 
 Pourraient-ils venir si j'en Would they be allowed to 
 parlais a leur pere ? come if I spoke to their 
 
 father? 
 
 Nous avions son consente- We had his consent; we 
 ment; nous pouvions done were, therefore, at liberty 
 le dire. to tell it. 
 
 READING 
 
 Vous pouvez le lui dire maintenant; je ne m'y oppose 
 plus. Pourriez-vous disposer de votre fortune sans le con- 
 sentement de votre femme? On ne peut plus cracher sur 
 les trottoirs a Boston; la loi y a pourvu. J'avais bien peur 
 qu'il ne put 1'epouser. Non; mon ami, vous ne pouvez 
 pas faire ce que vous dites; vous etes trop jeune. En 
 Amerique, une jeune fille peut beaucoup de choses qui ne 
 lui sont pas permises en France. Je n'ai pu y aller qu'apres 
 en avoir demande la permission. . Nous ne pensons pas 
 qu'ils puissent vous le dire; c'est un secret. Peut-on vous 
 ecrire, maintenant que vous etes en prison? 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 My father told me I could not do it. Could they go 
 there with us if we had a gentleman with us? I am not 
 allowed to go to the theatre alone. We were only at 
 liberty to go when we had finished our lesson. They fear 
 they cannot obtain permission to be absent so long a time. 
 We were afraid they could not come; their parents did not 
 like the idea. Can you do as you please, now that you are 
 of age ? One is never free to do wrong (faire le mal) if 
 one listens to the voice of conscience. May they tell us 
 that secret now? Yes; they are at liberty to do so. 
 
44 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Puis-je aller jouer avec mon 
 
 petit frere? 
 Pourquoi n'avez-vous pas 
 
 pu venir hier soir ? 
 J'avais bien peur qu'elle ne 
 
 put 1'epouser. 
 Est-il vrai qu'une femme 
 
 peut aller au the'atre seule 
 
 en Amerique? 
 Elle ne croit pas qu'elle 
 
 puisse nous accompagner; 
 
 tout le monde s'y oppose. 
 Ont-ils la permission de 
 
 jouer dans la rue? 
 Pourquoi ne pouviez-vous 
 
 pas me dire cela la 
 
 semaine derniere? 
 
 Non; vous ne (verb) pas 
 encore aller jouer avec lui. 
 
 Je n j (verb) venir, parce que 
 mon pere s'y est oppose'. 
 
 Elle n' (verb) 1'epouser qu'au 
 dernier moment. 
 
 Certainement; une femme, 
 en Amerique, (verb) aller 
 seule un peu partout. 
 
 Je crois que sa mere ne s'y 
 oppose pas; elle lui a dit 
 qu'elle (verb, with le). 
 
 Leur mere leur a dit qu'ils 
 (verb, with le). 
 
 Je ne (verb, with le) pour 
 plusieurs raisons; mais a 
 present je (verb, with le). 
 
 3. POSSIBILITY, OR IMPOSSIBILITY 
 
 The verb pouvoir expresses possibility, or impossi- 
 bility when it rejects, more or less forcibly the idea of 
 request or permission, while still retaining a relation to 
 the idea of ability. 
 
 Rien ne peut etre plus beau. "Nothing can be more 
 beautiful." 
 
 On ne peut aimer d 1 amour qu*une fois. "We can love but 
 once." 
 
 Note that pouvoir involves the idea that nothing can possibly 
 be more beautiful, or that it is impossible for anything to be more 
 beautiful; and the possibility of loving but once, or the impossibility 
 of loving more than once. 
 
POUVOIR 
 
 45 
 
 Conjugated impersonally and reflexively> i.e., se pouvoir, the idea 
 of possibility, or impossibility, becomes very definite. 
 
 // se pent que fy aille avec vous. " It is quite possible that I shall 
 go with you." 
 
 Ne se pourrait-il pas qu*il y ftit? " Might he not be there; is it not 
 a possibility that he is, or was there? " 
 
 EXAMPLES - 
 
 II pouvait avoir deux ans, 
 
 tout au plus. 
 Rien ne peut etre plus beau; 
 
 vous devriez le voir. 
 
 Puis-je jamais assez vous 
 aimer ! Vous avez tant 
 fait pour moi. 
 
 II a pu le dire; mais je ne 
 le crois pas. 
 
 J'ai fait tout ce qu'il s'est pu. 
 
 Je ne crois pas que cela se 
 
 puisse. 
 II se pouvait done que vous 
 
 en devinssiez riche. 
 Je ferai tout ce qu'il se 
 
 pourra. 
 
 He was possibly two years 
 
 old; at the most. 
 It is impossible for anything 
 
 to be more beautiful; you 
 
 should see it. (Nothing 
 
 could be . . .) 
 Is it possible for me to ever 
 
 love you enough ? You 
 
 have done so much for me. 
 It is quite possible he said 
 
 it; but I do not think so. 
 I did my very best (all 
 
 that was possible). 
 I do not believe that that is 
 
 possible. 
 Y'ou might then have become 
 
 rich by that. 
 I shall do all I can (all that 
 
 can possibly be done). 
 
 READING 
 
 Je ne sais si cela se peut; mais tout se peut. Cela ne 
 se peut pas ne pas etre. II pouvait y etre vers dix heures. 
 Nous ne pourrons jamais finir cet ouvrage aujourd'hui. 
 Je maintiens que cela se pouvait: vous vous y etes pris 
 
4 6 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 (you began) trop tard. II ne se peut rien de plus beau. 
 On ne pouvait le faire sans nous. Je me demande encore 
 si cela se peut. Elle a pu faire cela; mais elle ne le fera 
 plus. Je vous assure que je n'ai pu venir plus tot. 11 m'a 
 promis de faire tout ce qu'il se pourra. Tout se peut a qui 
 veut (for one who is bent upon doing it). Que ne se 
 peut-il de nos jours! 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 You say that that is impossible? I say it can be. It 
 may be she is there, if so, it is with her mother. They 
 assured us that they did all they could; do you think they 
 did (do all they could)? That child may be older than 
 you think. Could anything be more beautiful? Is it 
 possible that anything in the world be more admirable? 
 It is quite possible he said that. I do not think that 
 that is now possible. He may have been there, or he may 
 not have been there; it is none of your business (cela ne 
 vous regarde pas). Who says that that is possible? I say 
 it is impossible. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Savez-vous s'il se peut 
 
 qu'elle arrive aujourd'hui? 
 Quel age avait-elle quand 
 
 elle est morte? 
 Cela ne se peut pas. 
 Que vous a-t-il dit pour vous 
 
 encourager? 
 Se pourrait-il qu'il vint sans 
 
 elle? 
 Je me suis demande toute 
 
 la journee comment cela 
 
 s'est pu. 
 
 Oui; il (verb) qu'elle arrive 
 
 a trois heures. 
 Elle (verb) avoir de quarante 
 
 cinquante ans. 
 Pourquoi cela ne (verb) pas? 
 II m'a dit qu'il ferait tout ce 
 
 qu'il (verb). 
 Cela ne (verb) pas; elle ne 
 
 peut se passer de lui. 
 Cela (verb) de cette maniere: 
 
 ils se sont donne un ren- 
 
 dez-vous. 
 
POUVOIR 47 
 
 Vous ne pourrez jamais le Que cela (verb, present sub- 
 faire; cela ne se peut que junctive) rarement, ou 
 rarement. jamais, je vais 1'essayer. 
 
 Se pouvait-il qu'ils y fus- Non seulement il (verb} qu'ils 
 sent? y fussent; ils y etaient. 
 
 4. DESIRE, OR LONGING TO 
 
 The verb pouvoir expresses desire, or longing to, 
 when: 
 
 (a) Preceded by que ne, and the interrogative 
 
 form of the verb. 
 
 (b) When used in the stibjunctive mood at the 
 
 beginning of a sentence. Both kinds 
 of sentences then become exclamatory. 
 
 (a) Que ne puis-je parler fran$ais ! "Could I but speak 
 French!" "I would so like to speak French!" 
 
 Note that this construction applies to all verbs in the same sense. 
 
 Que n'efais-je la ! " Would that I had been there ! " " If I had only 
 been there ! " "I do so wish I had been there ! " 
 
 Note, also, that this construction with pouvoir adds to the idea 
 of desire that of ability; thus: Que ne puis-je parlerjran$ais, might 
 mean " I wish I were able to speak French." 
 
 (b) Puissiez-vous arriver a temps ! "I do hope (trust, 
 desire, wish) you may arrive in time." 
 
 Puisse-t-elle etre heureuse / "May she be happy ! " (I hope 
 she will be happy.) 
 
 N.B. Note that pa 5-, of the negation ne...pas> can be omitted 
 in the conjugation of pouvoir. There is, however, a slight shade 
 of meaning to be observed; 
 
48 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Je ne peux, conveys the idea that you still have some doubts, 
 some indecision, some hesitation about it. 
 
 Je ne peux pas, is a decided negation. 
 
 However, this shade of meaning is not often observed. 
 
 Let the student thoroughly analyse the meanings of the verb 
 pouvoir in this section : the translation will then become an easy 
 task, several English forms answering for one use of pouvoir. 
 
 EXAMPLES* 
 
 Que ne puis-je vous le dire! I would so like to tell it to 
 
 you (but I must not) ! 
 
 Que ne le pouvait-elle plus Had she but been able to 
 . tot! do it before (we did so 
 
 much want her to) ! 
 Que ne pouvions - nous y Oh, we too did so wish to 
 
 aller aussi! go (had we but gone) ! 
 
 Puissiez-vous les consoler! I do hope you will be able 
 
 to console them ! 
 Puisse-t-il ne pas les croire! It is to be hoped he will not 
 
 believe them ! 
 
 Puissions-nous tout faire! How we long to do (it) all! 
 
 Que ne put-il tout leur dire! How we hoped he would be 
 
 allowed to tell them all ! 
 Helas! Que ne le puis-je! Alas! would that I could! 
 
 READING 
 
 Puissions-nous le revoir avant de mourir! Puisse-jef de 
 mes yeux y voir tomber la foudre! Puissent tous nos amis 
 
 * This use of pouvoir is considered stilted. It is not often 
 used in prose, but it occurs frequently in poetry, especially in the 
 classic drama. 
 
 t Note the acute accent on puisse. This is a poetic subjunctive 
 in the interrogative form. See grammar on the interrogative forms of 
 French verbs. 
 
POUVOIR 49 
 
 arriver aujourd'hui! Puisse-t-il etre heureux pendant sa 
 vieillesse! Puisse perir comme eux quiconque leur res- 
 semble! Puissiez-vous ne jamais oublier tout ce que j'ai 
 fait pour vous! Que ne puis-je chanter comme elle! Que 
 ne put-on les en empecher! Puissent-ils vivre assez long- 
 temps pour finir leur entreprise! Que ne pouvions-nous 
 les voir aussi! Que ne le pouviez-vous! 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 Mayest thou (I do hope thou wilt be able to) see all 
 thy dreams come true. Could he but see him before he 
 returns. I would gladly see him die. Oh, to be happy, 
 even if it were but for a short time. We do so long (but 
 cannot) to go with you. May all die (we would like to 
 see them all die) who do not love their country. We 
 do hope you will never forget her (may you never forget 
 her). Had we but been able to. do it before. It is to 
 be hoped he will never see her again. Why did she not 
 come ! Had we but been able to speak to them ! 
 
 CONVERSATION* 
 
 Vous etes done bien fache Oui ; puisse- je ne jamais 
 
 contre moi ? vous revoir ! 
 
 J'ai toujours espere qu'elle Puisse-t-elle se bien marier ! 
 
 se marierait. 
 
 Que ne puis-je vous aider! Dire que ne puis-je, et 
 Helas! Je ne le puis. ajouter je ne le puis, 
 
 n'est guere encourageant. 
 
 Pourquoi etes-vous si triste ? Leur mere se meurt. Puis- 
 sent-ils arriver a temps ! 
 
 * The student need not be told that actual conversation with 
 pouvoir used to express desire, or longing, is next to impossible, 
 
FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Que vous a-t-elle ecrit ? 
 
 Nous ne pourrons guere la 
 
 consoler. 
 Cela est arrive, parce qu'ils 
 
 n'etaient pas la. 
 
 Rien que ces mots: Que 
 
 ne puis-je etre oil vous 
 
 etes ! 
 Puissions-nous cependant en 
 
 avoir Poccasion ! 
 Que ne pouvaient-ils partir 
 
 plus tot ! Us seraient 
 
 arrive's a temps. 
 
 5. POUVOIR USED IDIOMATICALLY 
 
 1. Sauve qui peut ! Fly who can, every one for himself, 
 
 save your life. 
 
 2. Je ne peux qu'y faire. I cannot help it, I cannot do 
 
 anything about it. 
 
 3. II en sera ce qu'il peut. Come what may, come 
 
 what will. 
 
 4. II y peut tant de personnes. So many (a certain 
 
 number of) persons can assemble there (the room 
 may hold so many). 
 
 5. N'en pouvoir plus. To be tired, exhausted, out of 
 
 patience, beside one's self. 
 
 6. N'en pouvoir rien, or mais, not to be able to help it, 
 
 not to be one's fault. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 C'est Napoleon qui, le pre- 
 mier, cria, sauve qui 
 peut, a Waterloo, dit un 
 historien beige. 
 
 Je vous assure que je n'ai 
 
 pu qu'y faire. 
 II est possible que je perde 
 
 mon argent, il en sera ce 
 
 qu'il peut. 
 
 It was Napoleon who, the 
 first, at Waterloo, cried 
 out, "Every one for him- 
 self," says a Belgian 
 historian. 
 
 I assure you I could not 
 prevent it (help it). 
 
 I may lose my money; mat- 
 ters must take their course 
 (come what may). 
 
POUVOIR 
 
 II y aura assez de place 
 pour tout le monde : il 
 s'y peut deux cents per- 
 sonnes. 
 
 J'ai marche toute la jour- 
 ne'e; je n'en puis plus. 
 
 Pourquoi m'accuser ? Je 
 
 n'en pouvais rien. 
 II pretendit qu'il n'en pou- 
 
 vait mais. 
 
 There will be room enough 
 for everybody. Two hun- 
 dred persons can be 
 seated. 
 
 I have been walking all 
 day ; I am exhausted 
 (tired out). 
 
 What accuse me ? I could 
 not help it. 
 
 He pretended it was not his 
 fault. 
 
52 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 IV 
 
 THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB 
 Savoir 
 
 The verb savoir expresses : 
 
 Knowledge ', or Understanding Ability, or Inability 
 Idiomatic meanings 
 
 1. KNOWLEDGE, OR UNDERSTANDING 
 
 The verb savoir expresses knowledge, or under- 
 standing, when it applies to things, and is not followed 
 by a verb in the infinitive.* 
 
 Je sais ma le$on, "I know my lesson." 
 
 Je ne sais ce que c'est, "I do not know what it is." 
 
 Note that in such expressions as: /Vw, je ne sat* quoi, "I have, 
 I know not what," and je suis tout, je ne sais comment, " I am quite, 
 I cannot exactly tell," the idea involved is that of one's health, 
 not understanding what is one's trouble. 
 
 Conjugated reflectively, i.e., se savoir, the idea of knowledge 
 assumes the meaning of "to become known," or to know one's, 
 or somebody's, propensities, sentiments, disposition, etc. 
 
 Tout se sait tdt ou tard, "all becomes known sooner or later." 
 
 Pensez-vous que cela se sache? "Do you think that is known, or 
 may become known?" 
 
 * In an idiomatic sense, savoir can apply to persons. It 
 then means that the speaker knows "where to find" a certain 
 person, or that a person "exists." Je sais un ami qui vous aidera, 
 " I know a friend who will help you." 
 
SAVOIR 
 
 53 
 
 // se sait capable de tout, "he feels able to do everything," 
 i.e., he knows himself capable of doing everything, or anything. 
 
 // ne se savait pas ruine, "he did not know himself to be ruined," 
 i.e., he was unaware he was ruined. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Vous ne saurez jamais votre 
 
 lec^on. 
 
 Je ne 1'ai pas su a temps. 
 II faut que je le sache 
 
 aujourd'hui. 
 Tout s'est su des son 
 
 arrivee. 
 Ne faudrait-il pas que cela 
 
 se sut ? 
 Vous verrez, elle ne saura 
 
 pas oil le trouver. 
 Je ne suis pas malade; mais 
 
 j'ai je ne sais quoi. 
 
 Us ne sauront oil cela se 
 
 trouve. 
 Je ne saurais cette nouvelle 
 
 si vous ne me Taviez 
 
 apprise. 
 Faut-il vous voir mourir, et 
 
 n'en savoir la cause! 
 Je ne lui savais pas tant 
 
 d'amour pour elle ! 
 
 You will never know your 
 
 lesson. 
 
 I did not know it in time. 
 I must know it (be told of 
 
 it) to-day. 
 All was known (found out) 
 
 as soon as he arrived. 
 Would it not be well that 
 
 that were known? 
 You will see, she will not 
 
 know where to find it. 
 I am not ill, but I am ailing 
 
 generally (something is 
 
 the matter with me). 
 They will not know where 
 
 to find it (where it is). 
 I would not know that news 
 
 had you not told it me. 
 
 Must I then see you die and 
 not know from what? 
 
 I did not know he loved her 
 so much. 
 
 READING 
 
 Nous savons tout ce que nous de'sirons savoir. Vous ne 
 saurez jamais ce qu'ils ont dit de vous. Ne faudrait-il pas 
 
54 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 que vous le sussiez plus tot? II nous a fallu le savoir 
 aujourd'hui. Je suis tout je ne sais comment depuis pres 
 de huit jours. Faut-il le savoir et etre oblige de se taire! 
 Elle ne savait pas ce dont elle parlait. Je m'en sais 
 capable. Croyez-moi, tout se saura, meme si vous ne le 
 dites pas. Pourquoi pensez-vous qu'il faille que cela se 
 sache? Je ne vous savais pas tant de courage. Que ne 
 sais-je (I would I knew) oil il s'en est alle! Ne le leur 
 dites pas que vous Tavez su. Vous etes tout je ne sais 
 comment: qu'avez-vous done fait? 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 Those who know it should tell it. Even if I knew it, 
 I would not tell you. Would it not be well (falloir) that 
 he knew it? I feel all out of sorts; what can be the 
 cause? The reason he does it is because he knows he can 
 do it (se savoir, with capable). All had to be known 
 sooner or later. What did they not know! It would be 
 better (// vaudrait mieux que, with imperfect subjunctive) 
 that they never knew it. She knows it all. We should 
 have known (// aurait fallu que) it sooner; now, it is too 
 late. We did not know you were so ambitious. Believe 
 me, I know nothing at all about it. You did not know 
 your lesson yesterday. Can one ever know when to use 
 savoir in French! 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Savez-vous ou elle s'est en Oui; je le (verb) mais je ne 
 allee? (verb) si je dois vous le 
 
 dire. 
 
 Comment cela s'est-il su, le Cela (verb) parce qu'il faut 
 savez-vous? que tout (verb). 
 
SAVOIR 
 
 55 
 
 Saviez-vous cette nouvelle 
 hier matin? 
 
 fites-vous malade ? vous avez 
 1'air tout je ne sais com- 
 ment. 
 
 Faut-il vraiment que vous 
 le sachiez ? 
 
 Dites tout ce que vous sa- 
 vez: on ne vous demande 
 rien de plus. 
 
 Quand cela s'est-il su ? 
 
 Je vous savais capable de 
 tout ; mais pas de cela. 
 
 Je vous sais 
 faites-le. 
 
 du courage : 
 
 Je ne P (verb) que ce matin 
 
 (fart, indefinite). 
 Je me sens tout je ne 
 
 (verb) comment depuis 
 
 huit jours. 
 Oui; il faut que je le (verb) 
 
 ce matin meme. 
 Je ne puis leur dire tout ce 
 
 que je (verb) quoiqu'il 
 
 faille qu'ils le (verb). 
 Cela (verb) quand il est 
 
 arrive. 
 Vous ne me (verb) pas 
 
 capable de cela, dites- 
 
 vous; et pourquoi pas? 
 Vous m'en (verb) trop, ou 
 
 trop peu. 
 
 2. ABILITY, OR INABILITY 
 
 The verb savoir expresses ability, or inability, when 
 the idea involved, in English, is: "to know," or "not to 
 know, how to," "to have the means of, or the common 
 sense to," etc. It is then followed by a verb in the 
 infinitive. 
 
 Je ne sais pas danser, "I do not know how to dance," 
 i.e., I am not able to dance (not knowing how). 
 
 Je sais faire cela, "I am able to do that," i.e., I know 
 how to do that. 
 
 // ne sut pas user de sa victoire, "he had not the common 
 sense to take advantage of his victory." 
 
 // ne saura y aller, "he will not have the means to (not 
 know enough to, not have the common sense to) go there." 
 
56 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Used in the conditional, and in the imperfect, or 
 pluperfect of the subjunctive, with ne, the verb savoir 
 assumes the sense of pouvoir when expressing impos- 
 sibility. (See chapter III, section 3.) 
 
 Je ne saurais y aller sans vous, "I can really not go 
 without you," it would be impossible for me to go without 
 you. 
 
 On lui avait dit qifil etait le plus beau gar$on qu>on n^eut 
 su voir. "She had been told he was the handsomest fellow 
 one could see," i.e., that it was impossible to see a hand- 
 somer fellow. 
 
 N.B. Note that the pas, of the negation ne . . . pas, can be 
 omitted in the conjugation of savoir. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 II ne sait en venir a bout. He cannot bring it about. 
 
 Je ne sais pas lire; mais je I cannot read, but I can 
 
 sais chanter. sing. 
 
 Vous ne savez rien faire du You cannot do anything at 
 
 tout. all. 
 
 Croyez-moi, vous ne saurez Believe me, you will not 
 
 en profiter. have sense enough to 
 
 take advantage of it. 
 
 Nous ne pensions pas qu'il We did not think he was 
 
 sut faire des armes. able to fence (that he 
 
 knew how to). 
 
 Je ne saurais vous le dire I could not tell you that 
 
 sans sa permission. without his permission. 
 
 Vous ne sauriez le faire, You would not know how to 
 
 meme si je vous le per- do it, even if I allowed 
 
 mettais. you to. 
 
SAVOIR 57 
 
 Plusieurs des generaux de Several of Napoleon's gen- 
 Napoleon ne savaient ni erals did not know how to 
 lire ni ecrire. read or write. 
 
 Je saurai bien me defendre. I shall know enough to 
 
 defend myself. 
 
 Vous ne sauriez trop faire You could not do too much 
 
 pour lui. for him. 
 
 * 
 
 READING 
 
 Si je ne sais parler frangais, c'est de ma faute. Sauriez- 
 vous me dire ou je puis le voir? Je ne saurais vous le dire 
 meme si je le savais. Saura-t-il au moins s'en tirer (get 
 out of it)? Elle ne savait ni jouer ni chanter; mais elle 
 composait admirablement. Avant tout, il faut savoir plaire. 
 Que je sache, ou queje ne sache pas naviguer, je vais aller 
 sur le lac. Ne sauraient-ils y penser sans que vous le leur 
 disiez? Elle n'a pas su le voir a temps. Si j'avais su 
 parler le frangais j'aurais eu cette place. Que ne sais-je 
 (I would I could, were able to) chanter! Nous saurons 
 parler le frangais quand nous aurons etudie assez long- 
 temps. Sachez travailler et vous en viendrez a bout. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 I do not know how to work; that is why I do nothing 
 well (rien de bien). Could you tell us where you were 
 yesterday? I could not tell you, even if I wished to (si je 
 le voulais). Can they speak French? They were able to 
 speak French very well some years ago. Were they able to 
 arrive in time, I do not intend to wait for them. You will 
 never be able to bring it about without my help. He will 
 know how to make use (se servir de) of his knowledge of 
 French. I was unable to speak French last year, and now 
 
FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 I know how to use the principal idioms of the language. 
 Know how to will (vouloir), and you will be able to do all 
 that is necessary (falloir). 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 Savez-vous parler le fran- Non ; je (verb) parler 1'an- 
 
 c.ais aussi bien que 1'an- 
 
 glais? 
 Sauraient-ils me le dire si je 
 
 le leur demandais? 
 Savait-elle chanter avant 
 
 d'aller en France? 
 Pourquoi me faut-il savoir 
 
 leur faire plaisir? 
 
 Sauriez-vous me rendre un 
 
 service, si je vous en 
 
 priais? 
 J'ai su chanter assez bien 
 
 quand j'etais jeune. 
 Sait-elle au moins enseigner 
 
 quelque chose? 
 
 Saviez-vous qu'ils sussent 
 gagner tant d'argent? 
 
 glais mieux que le fran- 
 
 c.ais. 
 Us ne (verb) vous le dire; 
 
 j'en suis certain. 
 Non; elle ne (verb) ni chan- 
 ter, ni jouer. 
 II vous faut (verb) leur faire 
 
 plaisir pour plusieurs rai- 
 
 sons. 
 Certainement; je (verb) faire 
 
 tout ce que vous pourriez 
 
 desirer. 
 Je ne savais pas que vous 
 
 (verb) chantez. 
 Elle ne (verb, conditional) 
 
 bien enseigner quoi que ce 
 
 soit. 
 Je ne (verb) vous le dire; je 
 
 les connais fort peu. 
 
 3. SAVOIR USED IDIOMATICALLY 
 
 The principal idioms formed with savoir are : 
 
 1. Savoir gre" a quelqu'un. To be thankful (to some one) 
 
 for, to be grateful for. (With bon^ and mauvais, to 
 bear good will to, to bear ill will to.) 
 
 2. Un, je ne sais qui. An unknown person, an outcast, 
 
 a person of no consequence. 
 
SAVOIR 
 
 59 
 
 3. Je ne sais quoi. I know not what, something strange, 
 
 odd, peculiar. 
 
 4. Je ne sache personne. I am not aware that there be 
 
 any one. I know of nobody. 
 
 5. Je ne sache nen. I know nothing that . . . 
 
 6. Que je sache. That I know of. 
 
 7. Savoir son monde. To know whom one has to deal 
 
 with. To understand people. 
 
 8. A savoir. That is to say, i.e., namely, to wit. 
 
 9. C'est a savoir. That remains to be known, or seen. 
 
 I doubt it. 
 
 10, Avoir du savoir faire. To have ability in some 
 
 direction. 
 
 11. Avoir du savoir vivre. To have knowledge of the 
 
 world. To be polite, to have good manners. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Je vous sais gre de me 
 
 Pavoir dit. 
 Je vous assure que je vous 
 
 en sais bon gre. 
 Je lui en saurai mauvais gre 
 
 toute ma vie. 
 Je ne puis comprendre 
 
 comment un, je ne sais 
 
 qui, soit votre ami. 
 II y avait dans ses yeux, je 
 
 ne sais quoi, de me'chant. 
 
 Je ne sache personne au 
 monde de plus heureux 
 que lui. 
 
 Je ne sache rien de plus 
 desagreable que d'etre 
 oblige' de faire cela. 
 
 I am thankful to you for 
 
 having told me of it. 
 I assure you that I bear you 
 
 good will for it. 
 I shall bear him ill will for 
 
 it all my life long. 
 I cannot understand how a, I 
 
 know not what (a rascal), 
 
 can be your friend. 
 There was in his eyes a, I 
 
 know not what, that was 
 
 wicked. 
 
 I know nobody in the world 
 , happier than he. 
 
 I know of nothing more 
 disagreeable than to be 
 obliged to do that. 
 
6o 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 II n'est pas ici que je 
 
 sache. 
 N'ayez aucune crainte; je 
 
 sais mon monde. 
 Vous dites que je le dirai, 
 
 c'est a savoir. 
 
 J'aurais cru qu'il eut plus 
 de savoir faire. 
 
 On peut avoir du savoir- 
 vivre sans etre un savant 
 
 He is not here that I know 
 
 of. 
 Fear nothing, I know whom 
 
 I have to deal with. 
 You say that I shall say 
 
 that; that remains to be 
 
 seen. 
 I would have thought he 
 
 would have had (or had) 
 
 more ability. 
 
 One may have good man- 
 ners without being a 
 
 scholar. 
 
VOULOIR 6l 
 
 V 
 
 THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB 
 Vouloir 
 
 The verb vouloir expresses : 
 
 Wish, Desire, or Want Willingness, or Consent 
 
 Determination, or Command Idiomatic Meanings 
 
 1. WISH, DESIRE, WANT 
 
 The verb vouloir implies to wish, or to desire when 
 it stands for dtsirer (to desire), or avoir envie de (to 
 wish). 
 
 Que voulez-voust "What do you desire, or wish?" 
 Je voudrais un peu d } argent, "I would like a little 
 money." 
 
 The verb vouloir also expresses the idea of to want, 
 or to want to in the sense of "to desire," or "to wish," 
 but not when to want implies "to be in need of," "to 
 lack." In this sense to want is usually translated by 
 avoir besoin de, or with falloir. 
 
 Que voulait-ilt "What did he want, ask for, wish, 
 desire?" (Not "what was he in want of," "lacking," or 
 "failing to have.") 
 
62 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 // veut tant y alter! "He does so desire, wish, or want, 
 to go there!" 
 
 Note that there is no need of his going, but merely that he 
 would like to go, i.e., that he wishes, desires, or wants to go 
 there. 
 
 Se vouloir, implies the idea of "wishing to, or for, one's self."* 
 // se veut trop d'argent. "He wishes too much money for 
 himself." 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 II m'a dit qu'il voulait vous 
 
 voir aujourd'hui. 
 Savez-vous ce qu'il veut de 
 
 moi? 
 II voudrait vous parler 
 
 d'une certaine affaire. 
 Je ne voudrais pas 1'aider, 
 
 meme si je le pouvais. 
 
 Je crains qu'il ne veuille pas 
 
 de nous. 
 Nous ne pensions pas qu'ils 
 
 voulussent nous accom- 
 
 pagner. 
 Us voudront que nous y 
 
 allions avec eux. 
 Je ne puis vouloir ce qu'elle 
 
 ne veut pas. 
 
 Je voudrais bien vous dire 
 quelques mots. 
 
 * Se vouloir is very seldom 
 idiomatic. 
 
 He told me he wanted to 
 
 see you to-day. 
 Do you know what he 
 
 wants of me? 
 He would like to speak to 
 
 you about a certain affair. 
 I would not wish to help 
 
 him, even if I could (do 
 
 so). 
 I am afraid he will not want 
 
 us. 
 We did not think they 
 
 desired to accompany us. 
 
 They will want us to go 
 
 there with them. 
 I cannot desire (wish, to do, 
 
 etc.) what she does not 
 
 wish. 
 I would like to say a few 
 
 words to you. 
 
 used, and is nearly always 
 
VOULOIR 63 
 
 READING 
 
 Elle ne pense qu'a ce bal: elle voudrait tant y aller! Je 
 le voudrais si je croyais que ce fut possible. S'il nous 
 accompagne, il voudra nous commander. Que voulez-vous 
 en echange? Ne voulait-il pas que nous le crussions? Je 
 ne crois pas qu'elle veuille aller au theatre avec nous. Ne 
 voulez-vous pas quelque chose; un verre de vin? Merci; 
 je voudrais bien un peu de vin et un biscuit. Dieu veuille 
 qu'ils ne nous voient pas! Nous craignions qu'ils ne vou- 
 lussent nous revoir. II veut vous voir, dites-vous? Je ne 
 puis comprendre ce qu'il peut vouloir de vous. Ce sont de 
 bons amis: ils nous veulent mille bonheurs. Je ne saurais 
 vouloir ce que mes parents ne veulent pas. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 Does he not say he wants to see us before we leave? 
 What do they want of me? She knows I shall do all she 
 wishes (future}. We are afraid they may want us to sing 
 at the concert. How can I wish -it; it would be of no 
 use to me (cela ne me servirait de rien). Tell me what you 
 wish, and you shall have it. Well (Eh, bien!), I would 
 very much like to go to Europe with them. Do you not 
 think she will want more than her share (of it) ? I cannot 
 tell you (je ne saurais vous dire) what they want. Were I 
 to wish it (imperfect), my father would give it to me. 
 Whether he wishes it, or not (present subjunctive, with que), 
 he will not have it. He does wish (unto himself) so many 
 friends ! 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 Que vous veut-il done; le Je ne crois pas qu'il sache 
 sait-il lui-meme? ce qu'il (verb, present 
 
 indicative). 
 
6 4 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Voyons, dites-moi, en peu de 
 mots, ce qu'ils veulent de 
 nous. 
 
 Je crains qu'ils ne veuillent 
 pas etre des notres. 
 
 Pourquoi voudront-ils que 
 
 nous le fassions? Le 
 
 savez-vous ? 
 Us ont craint qu'elle ne 
 
 voulut de lui. 
 Je voudrais vous dire deux 
 
 mots a Poreille. 
 Qu'a-t-elle done depuis 
 
 quelques jours? 
 Dieu veuille qu'il ne soit 
 
 pas Ik! 
 
 Ce qu'ils (verb, conditional) 
 
 de vous, j'ai dans 1'idee, 
 
 c'est de 1 'argent. 
 Pourquoi done croyez-vous 
 
 qu'ils ne (verb) pas de 
 
 votre societe? 
 Us (verb) que vous le fassiez, 
 
 pour n 'avoir pas a le faire 
 
 eux-memes. 
 Moi, j'ai craint qu'elle ne 
 
 (verb) de son frere. 
 Dites-moi devant tout le 
 
 monde ce que vous (verb). 
 Elle (verb, conditional) tant 
 
 vous demander pardon ! 
 Je dis comme vous: que Dieu 
 
 (verb) qu'il n'y soit pas! 
 
 2. DETERMINATION, OR COMMAND 
 
 The verb vouloir expresses determination, or 
 command when, in English, the idea of "to will it," 
 "to insist upon it," "to order," "to be determined," 
 etc., is involved. 
 
 Je veux que vous fassiez cela. "I insist upon your doing 
 that," I am determined you shall do that, I order you to 
 do that, you must do that, etc. 
 
 Note that although, in English, "to will," in the sense of "to 
 insist upon," i.e., "I will it," is seldom used, it best corresponds 
 to vouloir in the above sense. 
 
 It is needless to say that " to will," in the sense of " to 
 bequeathe," is not translated by vouloir. 
 
VOULOIR 65 
 
 N. B. Let the student carefully study the ideas implied. In 
 many instances, vouloir may seem to express one idea as clearly as 
 another different idea. For instance: 
 
 Je veux du pain, could mean: "I am determined to have some 
 bread," or "I wish, would like to have, some bread." 
 
 If "je veux du pain," is an answer to the question que votdez- 
 vous? (what do you wish), the meaning becomes very plain; but 
 if you merely state the fact that you need bread, in the sense of 
 that you wish, or desire, bread, je veux du pain, becomes 
 ambiguous. In all such cases, it is preferable to use the 
 conditional ; e.g., je voudrais dtt pain, " I should like to have (I 
 desire, I wish, I want) some bread." While, then, je veux du 
 pain, could mean "I desire some bread," it would be more apt 
 to mean "I insist upon having bread."* 
 
 Note also that vouloir has two imperatives: 
 
 (a) Veux, voulons, voulez. 
 
 (fj) Veuille, veuillons, veuillez. 
 
 Of these different forms veuillez is the only one frequently 
 used. It is a dignified and polite form, used at the beginning of 
 a sentence, in the sense of ''please," "be so kind as to," "have 
 the goodness," etc. 
 
 Veuillez me dire votre nom. " Please tell me your name, be so 
 kind as to tell me your name."** 
 
 As dignified politeness is out of place in familiar conversation, 
 the form veuille (2. person singular) would be affected. 
 
 * It may not be out of place, right here, to narrate the story, 
 so well-known, of a Frenchman, who had fallen into the water, 
 and, being on the point of drowning, shouted out in English: 
 "I will be drowned, and no one shall save me!" He certainly 
 did not want to drown; hence, he would not have said, in French, 
 "je veux me noyer," but "je vais me noyer" (I am going to drown); 
 nor did he mean that no one would be allowed to save him; 
 hence "shall save me" should be translated by: " ne veut done pas 
 me sauver" is willing to save me. 
 
 ** A sentence beginning with veulliez, does not necessarily 
 reject other forms of politeness being used with it. For instance: 
 Veuillez, ie vous prie, me dire votre nom. " I beg of you, be so 
 kind as to tell me your name." 
 
66 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 The forms veux, voulons, voulez are also very seldom used. 
 They are, however, sanctioned by the "Academie" in the sense of 
 "will it": 
 
 Veux-le, et tu le pourras, "will it, and you will be able (to 
 do it)." 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 A quoi bon tant parler? Je 
 
 le veux. 
 Nous voulons de 1'argent, et 
 
 nous en aurons. 
 
 Veux - le, et 
 faire. 
 
 tu sauras le 
 
 Nous voulons que vous 
 fassiez cela aujourd'hui, 
 que vous le vouliez, ou 
 que vous ne le vouliez pas. 
 
 II vous faut le vouloir pour 
 pouvoir le faire. 
 
 Le voudriez-vous que je ne 
 
 le ferais pas. 
 J'ai eu. beau vouloir; il a 
 
 refuse d'y aller. 
 Ne dites pas: je le veux; 
 
 dites: je voudrais bien. 
 
 Why so much talk? I insist 
 
 upon it. 
 We are determined to have 
 
 some money, and we shall 
 
 have some. 
 Make up your mind to it, 
 
 and you will be able to 
 
 do it. 
 We order you to do that to 
 
 day, whether you wish, or 
 
 whether you do not wish 
 
 (to do it). 
 You must make up your 
 
 mind (to it) to be able to 
 
 do it. 
 Were you to command me 
 
 (to do it) I would refuse. 
 I ordered him in vain; he 
 
 refused to go there. 
 Do not say: "I will it," but 
 
 say: "I would much like 
 
 to." 
 
 READING 
 
 Souvenez-vous du proverbe: qui veut, peut. Je Pai 
 voulu faire, rien que pour me moquer d'eux. II voulait 
 malgre tout que cela fut ainsi. Meme apres lui avoir dit 
 
VOULOIR 67 
 
 que nous savions tout, ne voulait-elle pas que nous la crus- 
 sions? Ne craignez rien: je leur dirai que c'est moi qui 
 1'ai voulu. Vous ne voulez pas le faire, dites-vous? Eh, 
 bien ! a present c'est moi qui dis que je veux que vous le 
 fassiez. Le voudriez-vous que je resisterais. Nous avions 
 peur qu'ils ne le voulussent; ils sont si obstines! II aurait 
 fallu que vous Peussiez voulu. II est facile de dire: 
 voulez-le!)) Nous aurons beau le vouloir. Mon enfant, 
 ne dites pas: je veux; ce n'est pas poli. Ne veuillez 
 pas vous perdre, et vous etes sauves. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 Remember this: he insists upon our telling him the 
 truth. They are determined to do it whether you wish it 
 or not. We had to (falloir) insist upon it. In spite of 
 all you may say, he will be bent upon going away. If they 
 had been determined to do it, they would have done it 
 sooner/ It is I who say I will it. Were you to say 
 "I will" (it), I would answer, "I will not" (it). I was 
 fearfully afraid he would do it (i.e., be determined to do 
 it). It is no longer a question of whether you wish it; it 
 is for you to know that I command it. His answer was: 
 "I won't!" (je ne veux pas). Children, do not say: "I 
 will ! " Since my father wills it, I will it. 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 II n'a pas dit: je voudrais Eh, bien! dites-lui, de ma 
 y aller ; mais: je veux part, que moi, je ne le 
 y aller. (verb) pas. 
 
 II nous a fallu le vouloir de On ne peut jamais reussir 
 toute notre ame. sans le (verb). Vous devez 
 
 le savoir. 
 
68 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 Le voudraient-ils, que je 
 
 refuserais encore. 
 J'ai eu beau vouloir; je n'ai 
 
 pu le faire. 
 
 Dites la verite: je le veux. 
 
 Ne vouliez-vous pas que 
 nous y allions malgre le 
 danger ? 
 
 N'ayez pas peur: je leur 
 dirai que c'est elle qui Pa 
 voulu. 
 
 Us le voulaient: pouviez- 
 vous desobe'ir ? 
 
 Croyez-moi: ils le (verb, 
 
 future). 
 Vous avez done oublie le 
 
 proverbe : qui (verb) 
 
 peut? 
 Que vous le (verb), ou non ; 
 
 moi je ne le (verb) pas. 
 Si je (verb) que vous y 
 
 allassiez, c'est que je 
 
 savais qu'il n'y avait pas 
 
 de danger. 
 tes-vous bien certain que 
 
 ce soit elle qui P (verb, 
 
 past subjunctive) ? 
 Je ne crois pas qu'ils P 
 
 (verb). 
 
 3. WILLINGNESS, OR CONSENT 
 
 The verb vouloir expresses willingness or consent 
 when, in English, the idea of "to be willing," "to con- 
 sent," "to have no objection," etc., is involved: 
 
 Pensez-vous qu'il veuille bien nous le donner? " Do you 
 think he will be willing, he will consent to, he will have 
 no objection to, give it to us?" 
 
 // n'a pas voulu nous le dire. "He refused to tell it to 
 us (he was not willing to tell it to us).' 7 
 
 Elle ne voudra pas chanter.. "She will object to singing 
 (will not consent to sing)." 
 
 Note that when willingness, or consent is implied, it is better to 
 add the adverb bien. This is almost imperative with the first 
 person singular in the affirmative form. 
 
VOULOIR 
 
 6 9 
 
 Je veux bien, "I am willing." 
 Je voulais bien, "I was willing." 
 // voudra bien, "He will be willing." 
 Nous voudrions bien, " We should be willing." 
 The adverb bien can also be used, to add force to vouloir when 
 desire is involved, but never when determination is implied.* 
 
 Je voudrais bien y alter avec vous, " I should very much like to 
 go with you." 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Faire cela? Je le voudrais 
 
 que je ne le pourrais. 
 Pensez-vous qu'il veuille 
 
 nous le donner? 
 Je ne crois pas qu'il le 
 
 veuille. 
 II ne voulait pas y consentir 
 
 sans vous en avoir parle. 
 
 Demandez-lui: il le voudra 
 
 peut-etre. 
 Nous le voulons bien; mais 
 
 a une condition. 
 Si elle 1'avait voulu, elle nous 
 
 Paurait dit. 
 Elle le voudra bien; mais 
 
 c'est lui qui ne le voudra 
 
 pas. 
 
 Do that? Even if I were 
 willing, I could not. 
 
 Do you think he will con- 
 sent to give it to us? 
 
 I do not believe he will be 
 willing. 
 
 He was unwilling to consent 
 before speaking to you 
 about it. 
 
 Ask him; he may consent. 
 
 We are willing, but on one 
 
 condition. 
 Had she been willing, she 
 
 would have told it to us. 
 She will be willing, but it 
 
 is he who will not (be 
 
 willing). 
 
 * In such a sentence as, Ce que je veux, je veux bien, "what I 
 am determined upon, I will it well," bien assumes a different 
 meaning. It corresponds to the popular English expression "with 
 a vengance ." It is equivalent to "to be bent upon," "to will a 
 thing," i.e., to be determined upon a thing with all the strength of 
 one's mind, or soul. 
 
7O FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 READING 
 
 Pensez-vous qu'il veuille bien faire cela pour nous? II n'a 
 pas voulu nous dire oil il avait passe la soiree. Pourquoi 
 dites-vous qu'elle ne voudra pas consentir? Quant a moi, 
 je veux bien. II voudra bien nous accompagner si nous le 
 lui demandons. Nous ne voulions pas y consentir; mais 
 des que nous avons su que vous le vouliez bien, nous le 
 leur avons permis. Pourquoi dites-vous que c'est a une 
 condition que vous le voulez bien? Je le voudrais que je 
 ne le pourrais. Nous le voudrions que personne ne nous 
 croirait. Ce n'est plus une question de vouloir; mais de 
 pouvoir. Voyons; soyez aimable; et dites-nous que vous 
 le voulez bien, ne fut-ce que pour nous faire plaisir. 
 
 COMPOSITION 
 
 If I were you, I would not consent. Whether I am 
 willing, or not, it cannot be done. Child, do not say 
 "I will," but "I am willing" (bien). They refused to eat 
 at our table. What did they say? Was it, "we are not 
 willing," or "we will not"?* Even if we consented, you 
 would not be willing to run the risk. I assure you, it is 
 now merely a question of good will on your part. What 
 makes you think they will not consent ? Did you not tell 
 him she was not willing to see him ? Had you only been 
 willing, he would have consented too. May God grant 
 that they be willing! 
 
 * This sentence illustrates how subtile the modal auxiliaries are. 
 " Nous ne voulons pas" here will translate "we wdll not," but not 
 " we are not willing." The latter should be translated, " nous n'y 
 consentons pas" 
 
I R k p 
 
 or TH 
 
 VOULOIR 
 
 CONVERSATION 
 
 C'est vous qui ne le voulez 
 
 pas. 
 Je ne crois pas qu'elle 
 
 veuille nous dire oil elle 
 
 est alle'e. 
 Us ne voudront pas; c'est 
 
 moi qui vous le dis. 
 
 Ne vous a-t-on pas dit que 
 votre mere ne le voulait 
 pas? 
 
 Pourquoi n'ont-ils pas voulu 
 e'crire cette lettre pour 
 vous? 
 
 Demandez-le leur: ils le 
 voudront; j'en suis cer- 
 tain. 
 
 Elle ne Pa pas voulu; voila 
 tout ce que je sais. 
 
 Vous vous trompez: moi, je 
 le (verb) bien. 
 
 Et pourquoi pensez-vous 
 qu'elle ne (verb) pas nous 
 le dire? 
 
 Je ne suis pas de votre avis: 
 ils le (verb) bien pour me 
 faire plaisir. 
 
 Si j'avais su que ma mere 
 ne P (verb, pluperfect sub- 
 junctive) je ne Peusse pas 
 fait. 
 
 Je ne sais pas: ils m'ont dit 
 qu'ils P (verb, past con- 
 ditional) ecrire pour tout 
 autre que moi. 
 
 Je ne suis pas aussi certain 
 que vous qu'ils le (verb, 
 present subjunctive). 
 
 Eh, bien! moi, je vous dis 
 maintenant qu'elle le 
 (verb, future) avant ce 
 soir. 
 
 4. VOULOIR USED IDIOMATICALLY 
 
 The principal idioms formed with vouloir are : 
 
 1. En vouloir .* To be angry with, to bear ill-will to a 
 person, etc. 
 
 * En vouloir & also means "to have designs upon," "to aim 
 at," "to try to get," etc. 
 
7 2 
 
 FRENCH MODAL AUXILIARIES 
 
 2. Se le vouloir. To bring it upon one's self, to have 
 
 only one's self to blame. 
 
 3. Vouloir du bien a. To be kindly disposed towards, to 
 
 bear good will to, etc. 
 
 4. Que voulez-vous ! How can it be helped ? What can 
 
 I do? What is that to me? 
 
 5. Vouloir dire. To mean. 
 
 6. Veuillez. Please, be so kind as to. Have the kind- 
 
 ness to, etc. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Je ne pense pas qu'il vous 
 
 en veuille. 
 II vous en voudra si vous 
 
 faites cela. 
 Je sais fort bien qu'il en 
 
 veut a ma place. 
 C'est lui qui se Test voulu; 
 
 pourquoi se plaint-il? 
 
 Vous dites que vous me 
 
 voulez du bien? Je ne le 
 
 crois pas. 
 II a perdu tout son argent? 
 
 Que voulez-vous? 
 Je ne comprends pas ce que 
 
 vous voulez dire. 
 Veuillez me pardonner 
 
 encore une fois. 
 
 I do not believe he is angry 
 
 with you. 
 He will owe you a grudge if 
 
 you do that. 
 I know very well that he is 
 
 aiming at my position. 
 He brought it upon himself; 
 
 why then does he com- 
 plain? 
 You say you feel kindly 
 
 towards me? I do not 
 
 believe it. 
 He has lost all his money? 
 
 What is that to me ? 
 I do not understand what 
 
 you mean (wish to say). 
 Be so kind as to forgive me 
 
 once more. 
 
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