To make a suggestion politely, you can use the conditional. Expressions such as ça serait bien de and ça serait une bonne idée de are useful for suggesting something without giving an order.
Making a suggestion
These expressions are used to suggest an action in a simple and natural way.
- Ça serait bien de + infinitive
- Ça serait une bonne idée de + infinitive
- On pourrait + infinitive
- Tu pourrais / vous pourriez + infinitive
Examples
- Ça serait bien de partir tôt. (It would be nice to leave early.)
- Ça serait une bonne idée de réserver maintenant. (It would be a good idea to book now.)
- On pourrait prendre le bus. (We could take the bus.)
- Tu pourrais appeler Marie. (You could call Marie.)
- Vous pourriez essayer ce restaurant. (You could try this restaurant.)
When to use them
- to suggest a solution;
- to give simple advice;
- to speak more politely and less directly.
Why use the conditional?
The conditional makes the sentence softer. The suggestion sounds less direct than the imperative.
- Ferme la fenêtre. → direct (Close the window.)
- Tu pourrais fermer la fenêtre ? → more polite (Could you close the window?)
Be careful
- After de, use an infinitive: Ça serait bien de partir. (It would be nice to leave.)