How to translate Could, Should, Would in French?

In French, the equivalent of “could,” “should,” and “would” can be expressed using modal verbs and conjugated in a similar way to other verbs.

1. “Could” can be translated as “pouvoir” in the present tense: “Je peux.” (I can.)

2. “Should” can be translated as “devoir” in the present tense: “Je dois.” (I should/must.)

3. “Would” can be translated as “vouloir” in the present tense: “Je veux.” (I want.)

Note that these verbs, along with other modal verbs, are followed by the infinitive form of the main verb.

For example, “Je pourrais manger” (I could eat), “Je devrais aller” (I should go), and “Je voudrais boire” (I would like to drink).

These modal verbs are used in different tenses to express different shades of meaning and mood in the sentence.

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