On 02 Sep 2007 13:04:01 GMT, badynfo
<badynfo_PAS_DE_SPAM@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>On Sun, 02 Sep 2007 12:50:52 +0100, curiosity wrote:
>
>> I can't remember if this came up before, but I'm watching a film at the
>> moment (1969) where the present tense of pouvoir is used to express
>> "might" and "could", in particular:-
>>
>> Je peux vous decevoir = I might dissapoint you
>>
>> - is this ok and current?
>
>In fact we would often use the conditional present here: "je _pourrais_
>vous décevoir". But sometimes the indicative present can be used instead:
>
>-Vous êtes toujours à l'heure.
>-Je peux vous décevoir, vous savez...
>
>= There is a possibility that I will be late someday.
>
>IMO the conditional present is preferred even in such cases:
>
>-Vous êtes toujours à l'heure.
>-Je pourrais vous décevoir, vous savez...
>
>Jerome
Thanks Jerome.
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