Mission: report news you're not sure about
Hedging. Say "I've heard" without claiming it is true.
FrenchB2 · Nuance and argumentAbout 6 min: 3 reading, 3 practiceUpdated
- Report hearsay with il paraît que, il semblerait que and apparemment
- Name a source with selon and d'après
- Read and use the journalistic conditional (le ministre aurait démissionné)
- Express doubt with je ne suis pas sûr que + subjunctive
- Tell a fact from a rumour in the news
Nuance and argument: lesson 3 of 4
- B2 · Nuance and argument
- Mission: disagree without offending 8 min
- Mission: explain the causes and effects of a problem 8 min
- Mission: report news you're not sure about 6 min
- Mission: make your main point stand out 8 min
Try first
You haven't learned this yet, so guess. Guessing before you read helps the explanation stick. Nothing here is scored.
Already know this? Take a 3-question check and skip ahead.
Get all three right and the lesson is marked done.
Level Level B2 (around the DELF B2 exam). Real French: telling a colleague what you've heard, and reading the news carefully.
What it is
Your mission: your colleague Théo asks what is going on, because everyone is talking about the minister. You read one headline and heard one rumour; nothing is confirmed. Tell him what you know without claiming it's true, and then say whether you believe it. Use tu.
French has several ways to say "I'm passing this on, but I can't vouch for it":
- il paraît que (indicative): Il paraît qu'il est malade.
- il semblerait que (subjunctive): Il semblerait qu'il soit parti.
- apparemment (normal sentence): Apparemment, il a démissionné.
- selon / d'après + source (noun or pronoun): Selon la radio, …
- conditional ((the verb itself)): Le ministre aurait démissionné.
- je ne suis pas sûr que (subjunctive): Je ne suis pas sûr qu'il soit parti.
Il paraît que means "I'm told" or "people say" and takes the indicative. Il semblerait que is a little more formal and careful; it is normally followed by the subjunctive. Apparemment (apparently) shows that you are judging from appearances.
Selon and d'après name the source: selon la préfecture, d'après mon voisin, selon moi (in my opinion).
The journalistic conditional is the key tool of news French. When a newspaper or news bulletin is not sure of a fact, it puts the verb in the conditional: Le ministre aurait démissionné ce matin (the minister has reportedly resigned this morning). It is not a polite request and not an if-sentence: it flags "unconfirmed". Use the conditional passé (aurait démissionné) for a past event, the present conditional for a present or future event (il serait à l'hôpital; il démissionnerait).
Je ne suis pas sûr que + subjunctive is how you express your own doubt: je ne suis pas sûr qu'il soit parti. Affirmative je suis sûr que takes the indicative.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
A newspaper writes « Le maire aurait quitté la ville. » What does it mean?
- That would be a future or a plan, not the conditional passé
- A confirmed fact would be a quitté
Show answer
The mayor reportedly left the town, but it isn't confirmed.. the conditional passé (aurait quitté) flags unconfirmed news.
Why it matters
News travels faster than facts. In French you are expected to show how sure you are, and the grammar does it for you: the same event is reported with a démissionné (fact) or aurait démissionné (unconfirmed). Reading the news at B2 means noticing that difference. Hedging also protects you when you speak: you can pass on a rumour without being the one who spread it.
Worked example
Théo asks about the minister:
- Théo: Tu as vu les infos ? Qu'est-ce qui se passe avec le ministre ?
- You: Selon la radio, il aurait démissionné ce matin. Mais le ministère n'a rien confirmé.
- Théo: Ah bon ? Pourquoi ?
- You: Il paraît qu'il est malade. Apparemment, il est à l'hôpital. Il semblerait que ce soit grave.
- Théo: Tu y crois ?
- You: Je ne suis pas sûr qu'il ait vraiment démissionné. On verra ce soir.
How to tell a fact from a rumour in the news:
| Fact | Rumour |
|---|---|
| Le ministre a démissionné. | Le ministre aurait démissionné. |
| Le ministère a confirmé. | selon une source, d'après des rumeurs |
| indicative, named speaker | conditional, vague source |
Real French: Il paraît que… is everywhere in speech for hearsay (Il paraît qu'il va neiger ce week-end). Apparemment is just as common. Note that after il paraît que French uses the indicative.
Common mistake
Using the subjunctive after il paraît que: wrong: il paraît qu'il soit malade. Say il paraît qu'il est malade.
Using the indicative after je ne suis pas sûr que: wrong: je ne suis pas sûr qu'il est parti. Doubt takes the subjunctive: je ne suis pas sûr qu'il soit parti.
And reading the conditional of a headline as a polite wish: aurait démissionné is not "would like to resign", it means "has reportedly resigned".
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
Which sentence is correct?
- il paraît que takes the indicative
- you can't use an infinitive after que
Show answer
Il paraît qu'elle est partie.. il paraît que + indicative.
Key terms
- il paraît que
- I'm told that, people say that (+ indicative)
- il semblerait que
- it would seem that (+ subjunctive)
- apparemment
- apparently
- selon / d'après
- according to
- le conditionnel journalistique
- conditional used for unconfirmed news
- je ne suis pas sûr que
- I'm not sure that (+ subjunctive)
- une rumeur
- a rumour
- confirmer
- to confirm
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 8 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| il paraît que | I'm told that, people say that (+ indicative) |
| il semblerait que | it would seem that (+ subjunctive) |
| apparemment | apparently |
| selon / d'après | according to |
| le conditionnel journalistique | conditional used for unconfirmed news |
| je ne suis pas sûr que | I'm not sure that (+ subjunctive) |
| une rumeur | a rumour |
| confirmer | to confirm |
Practice
Sort it
Does the sentence present the news as confirmed or unconfirmed?
Le ministre a démissionné.
indicative, stated as a factShow answer
Confirmed. indicative, stated as a fact
Le ministre aurait démissionné.
conditional passéShow answer
Unconfirmed. conditional passé
Le ministère a confirmé sa démission.
the source itself confirmsShow answer
Confirmed. the source itself confirms
Il semblerait que le ministre ait démissionné.
il semblerait hedgesShow answer
Unconfirmed. il semblerait hedges
Il paraît que le ministre a démissionné.
il paraît = hearsayShow answer
Unconfirmed. il paraît = hearsay
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
« Il paraît qu'il … malade. » (être)
- il paraît que takes the indicative
- you can't use an infinitive after que
Show answer
est. il paraît que + indicative.
« Je ne suis pas sûr qu'il … la nouvelle. » (savoir)
- after je ne suis pas sûr que, use the subjunctive
- you can't use an infinitive after que
Show answer
sache. ne pas être sûr que + subjunctive; savoir → il sache.
Which headline tells you the news is NOT confirmed?
- that states a fact
- that is a present used for a future plan, stated as certain
Show answer
Le ministre aurait démissionné.. the conditional passé flags an unconfirmed fact.
Build the sentence
Build "According to the radio, the minister has reportedly resigned." (start with the source)
Show answer
Selon la radio, le ministre aurait démissionné.. source first, then the conditional passé of démissionner.
Practise speaking
Studyfern has no voice tools of its own. To practise out loud, copy this prompt into a voice-capable AI assistant and talk with it.
Mission role-play. You are Théo, my colleague, in a corridor at work at level B2, using tu. Start with « Tu as entendu quelque chose sur le ministre ? ». Ask one question at a time about what I heard (who said it, why, whether it's confirmed, what I believe). I will make up the story. After each of my answers, tell me in English what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again; watch il paraît que + indicative, il semblerait que + subjunctive, apparemment, selon and d'après, the conditional of unconfirmed news (aurait démissionné), and je ne suis pas sûr que + subjunctive. The mission is complete when I have reported three pieces of unconfirmed news with at least three different hedges and have told you once that I'm not sure, all correct: then say « Mission accomplie ! » and give me one tip. Keep every reply under 3 sentences.
Listen too. Listen to native speakers before and after: see the free listening and shadowing links.
Good to know. AI feedback on pronunciation is hit and miss, so check yourself against native recordings. Many assistants turn your speech into text first, so a vowel or liaison you got wrong may be silently “heard” as the right word. Don't share personal details: use a made-up name and town.
New to this? Read Practising speaking with an AI.
In short
- Il paraît que + indicative: hearsay. Il semblerait que + subjunctive: careful and a little formal.
- Apparemment is the everyday "apparently".
- Selon and d'après name the source.
- The conditional (aurait démissionné) marks unconfirmed news; the indicative marks a stated fact.
- Je ne suis pas sûr que + subjunctive; je suis sûr que + indicative.
Mastery check
Answer without looking back. Score 80% or more and the lesson is marked done. Your result is kept only in this browser.
Check yourself
Answer in your head first, then open the answer. Nothing is saved.
Which mood follows il paraît que?
Show answer
The indicative.
What does « Le chef de l'entreprise aurait quitté la ville » tell you?
Show answer
He reportedly left, but it is unconfirmed.
Complete: « Je ne suis pas sûr qu'il … parti. » (être)
Show answer
soit.
Further reading
- RFI, Journal en français facile, a free daily news bulletin: listen for the conditional in unconfirmed stories.
- TV5MONDE, Apprendre le français, free exercises built on real TV clips.
Finished? Mark it done to fill in your leaf on the French map.