This French B2 lesson explains expressing reservations in French step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on expressing reservations in French and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: To express reservations in French at B2 level, combine a doubt or fear expression (je doute que, il est à craindre que) with the subjunctive, then add a condition (à condition que). This lets you accept scientific progress while still setting clear ethical limits.
Level: French B2 (CEFR upper intermediate) · Standards: CEFR B2, Spoken production
Expressing reservations in French: the lesson
How do you express reservations about science and technology in French?
At B2 level, a debate about ethics rewards nuance: you rarely say yes or no, you say oui, mais à quelles conditions ?. French offers a ladder of expressions, and each rung triggers a specific mood.
| Strength | Expression | Mood |
|---|---|---|
| Gentle | Je suis plutôt réservé(e) quant à l’édition du génome. | noun after quant à |
| Doubt | Je doute que cette méthode soit sans risque. | subjunctive |
| Fear | Il est à craindre que les données ne soient mal protégées. | subjunctive |
| Firm | Il est inacceptable que des firmes vendent nos dossiers médicaux. | subjunctive |
Which vocabulary do you need for bioethics and artificial intelligence?
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la bioéthique | bioethics |
| le consentement éclairé | informed consent |
| le don d’organes | organ donation |
| le dépistage | screening |
| la thérapie génique | gene therapy |
| un algorithme, un biais | algorithm, bias |
| les données personnelles | personal data |
| le principe de précaution | precautionary principle |
| une dérive | a dangerous drift, abuse |
How do you accept progress while setting limits?
Conditions and concessions
à condition que + subjunctive (two subjects) · à condition de + infinitive (same subject) · sous réserve de + noun · pourvu que + subjunctive · certes… mais… to concede.
In context
Je soutiens cette recherche, à condition que le patient donne son consentement. — I support this research, provided the patient gives consent.
Certes, l’algorithme gagne du temps, mais il faut en contrôler les biais. — Admittedly, the algorithm saves time, but its biases must be monitored.
Common mistake
English speakers keep the indicative after doubt: Je doute que c’est sûr is wrong. Write Je doute que ce soit sûr. The mood flips with the speaker’s certainty: Je suis sûr que c’est sûr, but Je ne suis pas sûr que ce soit sûr. Also, je pense que takes the indicative; je ne pense pas que takes the subjunctive.
Culture note
France passed its first bioethics laws in 1994, and Parliament has revised them several times since, most recently in 2021. The national ethics committee (CCNE), created in 1983, publishes opinions on questions raised by the life sciences, and the CNIL, founded in 1978, supervises personal data.
Zoé’s tip
In an oral exam, never stop at je suis contre. Give a reservation, then a condition: Je reste prudente, mais je pourrais l’accepter à condition que… . That sounds balanced and gives you time to think.
Key points to remember
- Doubt and fear expressions such as je doute que take the subjunctive.
- Je pense que takes the indicative; je ne pense pas que often takes the subjunctive.
- À condition que takes the subjunctive; à condition de takes an infinitive.
- Certes… mais… concedes a point before objecting.
- Bioethics vocabulary: consentement éclairé, dépistage, biais, principe de précaution.
Debating bioethics and artificial intelligence in French: frequently asked questions
How do you say “I doubt that” in French?
Use je doute que followed by the subjunctive: Je doute que cette technique soit fiable. The doubt, not the verb itself, triggers the subjunctive.
Which mood follows “je pense que”?
The indicative: Je pense que le débat est nécessaire. In the negative or in a question the subjunctive is common: Je ne pense pas que ce soit suffisant.
What is the difference between à condition que and à condition de?
À condition que needs a new subject and the subjunctive. À condition de is followed by an infinitive when both clauses share one subject.
What does le principe de précaution mean?
It is the idea that a technology should not be launched while a serious risk remains unexcluded, even without scientific proof of harm. French debates cite it constantly.
Is it rude to disagree with an examiner in the DELF?
No. Polite disagreement is expected: Je comprends votre point de vue, mais je ne suis pas convaincu que…. Concede first, then object.