Question 1

Why is serait used here instead of est if the translation says 'is reportedly'?

Accepted Answer

This is the 'journalistic conditional' (le conditionnel de l'information non confirmée). In French, instead of adding an adverb like 'reportedly' or 'allegedly', you often just put the verb in the conditional tense. Using serait (would be) instead of est (is) signals that the speaker is just passing on a claim and isn't entirely sure it is true.

Question 2

Why do we use lui in Selon lui instead of il?

Accepted Answer

Selon is a preposition meaning 'according to'. In French, you must always use a stressed pronoun (also called a disjunctive pronoun) after a preposition. So, instead of the subject pronoun il, you use the stressed pronoun lui. Other common examples are avec moi (with me) or pour elle (for her).

Question 3

Does the position of seul matter in le seul accès?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the meaning of seul changes entirely based on its position! When placed before the noun, like here, it means 'the only' (the only access). If it were placed after the noun (l'accès seul), it would mean 'alone' or 'lonely', which wouldn't make much sense for a passage.

Question 4

Could I just use the present tense est and add a French word for 'reportedly'?

Accepted Answer

You could use the present tense with an adverb like apparemment (apparently) or the phrase paraît-il (it seems). However, using the conditional (serait) is by far the most natural and common way to express unconfirmed information in French, especially in journalism, police reports, or when sharing daily rumors.

Selon lui, ce passage serait le seul accès.

Breakdown of Selon lui, ce passage serait le seul accès.

Questions & Answers about Selon lui, ce passage serait le seul accès.

Learn Selon lui, ce passage serait le seul accès and more in French