Je prends un parapluie au cas où il pleuvrait.

I take an umbrella in case it rains.

Breakdown of Je prends un parapluie au cas où il pleuvrait.

• je: I
• prendre: to take
• pleuvoir: to rain
• le parapluie: the umbrella
• il: it
• au cas où: in case

Questions & Answers about Je prends un parapluie au cas où il pleuvrait.

Why is the verb pleuvrait in the conditional mood instead of the indicative or subjunctive?

The phrase au cas où is a fixed expression that introduces a precaution. In standard French, it calls for the conditional mood to express a hypothetical scenario. Here, pleuvrait is the conditional form of pleuvoir, indicating that the speaker is preparing for the possibility of rain rather than stating it as a fact.

Can I replace pleuvrait with the subjunctive form pleuve in this construction?

No, you cannot. Although the subjunctive might seem tempting when dealing with hypothetical situations, the rule with au cas où is to use the conditional mood. Using pleuvrait correctly signals that the rain is a potential outcome for which you are taking precautions.

How is the conditional form pleuvrait formed for the impersonal verb pleuvoir?

For pleuvoir, you take the stem pleuv- and add the conditional ending -rait. Since pleuvoir is an impersonal verb (it only uses the third-person singular), the result is pleuvrait, which translates to “it would rain” or “it might rain” in this context.

What is the specific function of au cas où in this sentence?

Au cas où means “in case” and is used to introduce a contingency or precaution. In the sentence, it clarifies that you are taking an umbrella as a safeguard against the possibility of rain, even though rain is not a confirmed event.

Is there any difference between au cas où il pleuvrait and a construction like si jamais il pleuvait?

Yes, there is a subtle difference. Au cas où il pleuvrait emphasizes taking a precaution against a possible future occurrence, while si jamais il pleuvait is a straightforward conditional clause using si that also suggests a potential situation. However, with au cas où, the fixed expression demands the conditional mood, underscoring that the action (taking the umbrella) is done on the off chance that rain happens.