How to Translate Modal Verbs into French

Modal verbs, also called modal auxiliaries or simply modals, are unconjugated English verbs which express the mood of a verb, such as ability, possibility, condition, and necessity. With the exception of ought, modals are followed directly by the verb they modify (without to in between). There are ten common English modal verbs: cancouldmaymightmustought toshallshouldwillwould French does not have modal verbs, which can make it difficult to translate them. The French equivalents of modal verbs may be a conjugable verb (e.g., pouvoir), a particular verb tense or mood, or even an adverb. Can  Ã‚  Ã‚  pouvoir, savoir (in the present tense)   Ã‚  Ã‚  I can help you.Je peux vous aider.We can see it.Nous pouvons le voir.Can you swim?Sais-tu nager ? Could (in the present)  Ã‚  Ã‚  pouvoir (in the conditional)   Ã‚  Ã‚  I could dance all night.Je pourrais danser pendant toute la nuit.Could you help me?Pourriez-vous maider ? Could (in the past)  Ã‚  Ã‚  pouvoir (in the imperfect)   Ã‚  Ã‚  He could eat a lot of candy when he was three.Il pouvait manger beaucoup de bonbons quand il avait trois ans.Last year, I could sleep until noon every day.Lannà ©e dernià ¨re, je pouvais dormir jusquà   midi tous les jours. May/might  Ã‚  peut-à ªtre, pouvoir (in the conditional), se pouvoir (in the present)   Ã‚  Ã‚  She may/might arrive at noon.Elle arrivera peut-à ªtre à   midi, Elle pourrait arriver à   midi, Il se peut quelle arrive à   midi. Must  Ã‚  devoir (present tense)   Ã‚  Ã‚  I must leave.Je dois partir.You must help me.Vous devez maider. Shall/will  Ã‚  Ã‚  French future tense   Ã‚  Ã‚  I shall/will help you.Je vous aiderai.He will arrive at noon.Il arrivera à   midi. Should/ought to  Ã‚  devoir (in the conditional)   Ã‚  Ã‚  I should/ought to leave soon.Je devrais partir bientà ´t.You should/ought to help me.Vous devriez maider. would (in the present)  Ã‚  Ã‚  French conditional mood   Ã‚  Ã‚  We would like to leave.Nous voudrions partir.I would help you if I were ready.Je vous aiderais si jà ©tais prà ªt. would (in the past)  Ã‚  Ã‚  French imperfect tense   Ã‚  Ã‚  He would always read when he was alone.Il lisait toujours quand il à ©tait seul.Last year, I would sleep until noon every day.Lannà ©e dernià ¨re, je dormais jusquà   midi tous les jours.English modals may be followed by have plus a  past participle  to express perfect (completed) actions. Translating this construction usually requires a French verb in a perfect tense/mood followed by an infinitive. could have  Ã‚  Ã‚  pouvoir  (in the  conditional perfect)   Ã‚  Ã‚  I could have helped you.Jaurais  pu  vous  aider.We could have eaten.Nous  aurions  pu  manger. may/might have  Ã‚  Ã‚  peut-à ªtre,  se pouvoir  (plus  past subjunctive)   Ã‚  Ã‚  I may/might have done it.Je lai peut-à ªtre fait, Il se peut que je laie fait. must have  Ã‚  Ã‚  devoir  (in the  passà © composà ©)   Ã‚  You must have seen it.Vous  avez  dà » le  voir.He must have eaten.Il a dà » manger. Shall/will have  Ã‚  Ã‚  French future perfect   Ã‚  I shall/will have eaten.Jaurai mangà ©.He will have arrived by noon.Il sera arrivà ©Ã‚  avant  midi. Should have  Ã‚  devoir  (in the conditional perfect)   Ã‚  Ã‚  You should have helped.Vous  auriez  dà » aider.We should have eaten.Nous  aurions  dà » manger. Would have  Ã‚  Ã‚  French conditional perfect   Ã‚  Ã‚  I would have helped you.Je  vous  aurais  aidà ©.He would have eaten it.Il  laurait  mangà ©.