Confirmed or reported
French media separate grammatically what is established from what is only being reported. Established facts go in the indicative. For unconfirmed information they use the conditionnel journalistique: the newsroom passes the information on without guaranteeing it. It expresses neither a condition nor a wish, but distance from the source.
One story, two levels of certainty
Confirmed
Le ministre a démissionné ce matin.
The minister resigned this morning.
Les otages sont en bonne santé.
The hostages are in good health.
Reported
Le ministre aurait démissionné ce matin.
The minister has reportedly resigned this morning.
Les otages seraient en bonne santé.
The hostages are said to be in good health.
Which form for which time
The form depends on when the reported event happens. A current state or a plan for later takes the conditionnel présent. A completed event takes the conditionnel passé.
Time of the reported event
| Time | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| now | conditionnel présent | Le PDG serait hospitalisé. |
| later | conditionnel présent | Le sommet aurait lieu en mars. |
| before | conditionnel passé | L'incendie aurait été provoqué par une cigarette. |
Le PDG du groupe serait hospitalisé depuis lundi.
The group's CEO has reportedly been in hospital since Monday.
Le prochain sommet aurait lieu à Lisbonne en mars.
The next summit is expected to take place in Lisbon in March.
Trois personnes ont été blessées. L'incendie aurait été provoqué par une cigarette mal éteinte.
Three people were injured. The fire was reportedly caused by a cigarette that hadn't been put out properly.
The injuries are confirmed, the cause is not.
Naming the source
The source is often given too, for example with selon or d'après (according to). The conditional still stays; the press routinely uses both together. Without the conditional, the sentence sounds as if the newsroom were adopting the claim as its own.
Selon nos informations, l'entreprise supprimerait 500 postes.
According to our information, the company plans to cut 500 jobs.
De source policière, le suspect aurait déjà été condamné en 2019.
According to police sources, the suspect had already been convicted in 2019.
À en croire la rumeur, ils se seraient mariés en secret.
If the rumour is to be believed, they got married in secret.
