# FR: I would if I could, but I can't, so I won't



## somody

I would if I could, but I can't, so I won't.

Here's a challenge!  I need this in French, but can't get it for sure because there's no "could" or "would" in French, rather the _conditionnel_ tense to incorporate it into the verb.

My go:
*
Je le ferais si je pourrais, mais je ne peux pas, alors je ne le ferai pas.*

Not very rhythmic, huh?


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## EmmaPeel

somody said:
			
		

> I would if I could, but I can't, so I won't.
> 
> Here's a challenge! I need this in French, but can't get it for sure because there's no "could" or "would" in French, rather the _conditionnel_ tense to incorporate it into the verb.
> 
> My go:
> 
> *Je le ferais si je pourrais, mais je ne peux pas, alors je ne le ferai pas.*
> 
> Not very rhythmic, huh?


 
Almost somody!!

Je le ferais *si je pouvais,* mais je ne peux pas alors je ne le ferai pas.


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## somody

Wow...I am almost decent in French 

The imparfait/conditionnel mixing in sentences is somewhat confusing...

Thanks!


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## Jessila

you're right, it lacks the rhythm it has in english, but that's the closest translation anyway


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## zaby

somody said:
			
		

> The imparfait/conditionnel mixing in sentences is somewhat confusing...


 
You have the mixing in English too, "could" is not a conditional in your sentence, you could say : "I would if I was able ..."

The structure is the same in French and in English : 
Conditional tense, "if/si" + past tense


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## xav

If you want rhythm, there was a song, twenty years ago, which said the same thing, on a pleasant (and a bit dubious) way : 

"J'voudrais bien, mais j'peux point !"

or you can try Montesquieu's (a bit solemn) way :

"La liberté consiste à faire ce que l'on doit".

By not saying the "e" of "faire", you'll have the rhythm of an alexandrine  .


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## somody

I don't understand why sometimes people write "l'on".  What does it mean, and how is it different than "on".  Is is "un pronom d'objet direct"?


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## Jad

EmmaPeel said:
			
		

> Je le ferais *si je pouvais,* mais je ne peux pas alors je ne le ferai pas.


 
Could it also be _Je le ferais_ _si je *le* pouvais_ *?*


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## Chabada

Yes, it is fine!


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## geve

_(to answer somody's question : "que l'on" is a more formal, written way of saying "qu'on" which doesn't sound very nice)_

Xav's suggestion sounds good : je le ferais bien, mais je ne le peux point ("point" instead of "pas", for the rhyme) - the "if I could" part being implicit


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## The Ho

Jad said:
			
		

> Could it also be _Je le ferais_ _si je *le* pouvais_ *?*


A mon avis, non. Par exemple, si on parle d'un marathon, _le_ dans _Je le ferais_ est le pronom qui se substitue à marathon, complément d'objet direct de _ferais_.

Si on dit _si je le pouvais,_ ça équivaut à dire _si je pouvais ce marathon_, ce qui est incorrect.

Les deux formes correctes sont donc :
_Je le ferais si je pouvais le faire._
_Je le ferais si je pouvais._

C'est clair ?


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## somody

Merci tout le monde...ça répond à ma question.


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## panchamas

Bon soir,

comment dit-on: "I would if I could but I can't". Je pense que c'est " je si pourrais mais je ne peux pas" --Is this right?

Thank you


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## cropje_jnr

Je le ferais si je *pouvais*, mais je ne peux pas.

[...]


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## Tabac

Pouvoir c'est faire.


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