Modaux et équivalents

 

1.      tu devrais : you should + BV     You should listen to my advice

  1. tu aurais dû : you should have + participe passé     I’m sorry! I should have listened to your advice

 

  1. Quasi certitude: il doit sûrement.... He must + BV  Listen to his accent ! He must be Irish
  2. quasi certitude / passé : Il a sûrement dû… He must have + participe passé

He is dirty ! He must have played in the garden.

  1. Quasi-certitude dans une phrase négative : Il ne peux pas / il ne doit pas :   Can’t + BV 

       He has an Irish accent, he can’t be English!

 

  1. probabilité ( présent / futur): il se peut que / Peut-être que … He may/ might + BV

She isn’t feeling well, but she may come anyway

  1. probabilité (/ au passé): il se peut que / Peut-être que … He may / might + have + participe passé

She looks different…she may have gone to the hairdresser’s ... but I’m not sure !

 

  1.  Obligation ( / présent) : je dois :  Must + BV  I must learn my lessons
  2. Obligation ( / passé) : j’ai dû / je devais : Had to + BV    the dishwasher was broken, I had to wash up
  3. Obligation ( / futur) : tu devras : Will have to + BV

       When you are  at your uncle’s, you will have to obey him!

 

  1. Absence d’obligation (/  présent ) : tu n’as pas besoin de / tu n’es pas obligé de 

              needn’t + BV : you needn’t wash the car : it’s clean !

              don’t have to + BV : you don’t have to wash the car : it’s clean!

  1. Absence d’obligation (/ passé) :

     tu n’avais pas / n’as pas eu  besoin de ; tu n’étais pas / as  pas été obligé de

    didn’t have to :  I didn’t have to wash up: my mother had done it !

  1. Absence d’obligation (/ futur) : tu n’auras pas besoin de / tu ne seras pas obligé de 

       won’t have to : you won’t have to wash up : we will buy a dishwasher

 

  1. Interdiction ( / present) : tu ne dois pas  :

       mustn’t + BV  : you mustn’t smoke here!

       am not / isn’t / aren’t  allowed to + BV : Smoking is not allowed here

       can’t + BV : sorry, you can’t smoke here

      ( may + BV : sorry, you may not smoke here / permission refusée)

  1.  Interdiction ( /passé) :

      wasn’ t / weren’t allowed to + BV  : In the 19th century, women were not allowed to wear trousers

       couldn’t + BV : he couldn’t go out yesterday : his parents didn’t want him to!

  1.  Interdiction ( /futur) : tu ne devras pas   :

       will not be allowed to + BV  Smoking will not be allowed here any more

 

  1. permission  (/ présent )

           Can + BV :  Can I  watch TV tonight ? Yes, you can

           am / are / is allowed to + BV : Smoking is only  allowed in this room

           (May + BV   : May I open the window? Yes, you may )

  1. permission  (/passé)

could + BV: his parents were cool : at , he could go out all night

was / were allowed to + BV : Smoking was allowed in schools but fortunately it isn’t any more!

  1. permission  (/futur)

will be allowed to + BV : you will be allowed to go out all night when you are 2O

 

 

  1. capacité ( / present) : il peut/ il sait  : can + BV      He can speak English
  2. capacité ( / passé) : il pouvait – il  a pu : could + BV      He could speak English

                                            il a réussi à : was / were able to + BV        He was able to understand them

  1. capacité ( / futur) : il pourra  : will be able to + BV          He will be able to speak to anybody!