To express a precaution or prepare for a possibility, use the phrase au cas où ("in case").
| in case | au cas où |
While English often uses the present tense after "in case" (e.g., "in case it rains"), French requires the conditional mood after au cas où. This is because the event you are preparing for is hypothetical.
Notice how the verbs after au cas où are conjugated in the conditional (ferait, pleuvrait):
| I am going to bring my jacket in case it is cold. | Je vais emporter ma veste au cas où il ferait froid. |
| You must take the raincoat in case it rains during the festival. | Tu dois prendre l'imperméable au cas où il pleuvrait pendant le festival. |
Packing for a Festival
When packing for an outdoor festival, you might need gear to protect yourself from the elements or to camp out.
| The boots are useful in case the path is full of mud. | Les bottes sont utiles au cas où le chemin serait plein de boue. |
| She is bringing the sleeping bag in case we sleep outside. | Elle apporte le sac de couchage au cas où nous dormirions dehors. |
Emergency Supplies
You will also want to bring emergency supplies. Notice the conditional forms of avoir (to have) and attaquer (to attack) in these precautions:
| He is bringing the external battery in case the place does not have electricity. | Il apporte la batterie externe au cas où l'endroit n'aurait pas d'électricité. |
| They are preparing the first aid kit in case there is an accident. | Ils préparent la trousse de secours au cas où il y aurait un accident. |
| You are going to put on this repellent in case the mosquitoes attack. | Vous allez mettre ce répulsif au cas où les moustiques attaqueraient. |
| We are taking the lighter in case we need to make a fire. | Nous prenons le briquet au cas où nous aurions besoin de faire du feu. |
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