French Phrase
On pourrait faire un concours de talents.
Meaning
Literally, “We could hold a talent contest.” The sentence is a polite suggestion, using the conditional to propose an idea without imposing it.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to suggest an activity in a casual group setting—classmates, friends, or coworkers—especially when you’re brainstorming fun events.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onpourraitfaireunconcoursdetalents
On (impersonal pronoun)
‘On’ is an indefinite pronoun that can mean ‘we’, ‘people’ or ‘one’ in everyday French.
Conditional of pouvoir – pourrait
‘Pourrait’ is the conditional present of ‘pouvoir’ and expresses a polite suggestion or possibility.
Infinitive after a modal – faire
After ‘pouvoir’, the verb that follows stays in the infinitive (here ‘faire’ = ‘to do/hold’).
Noun phrase – un concours de talents
‘Concours’ = contest, ‘de talents’ specifies the type; the article ‘un’ makes it indefinite.
🗨In Conversation
On pourrait faire un concours de talents.
We could hold a talent contest.
Bonne idée ! On pourrait demander à tout le monde de préparer un numéro.
Great idea! We could ask everyone to prepare a performance.
✕Common Mistakes
On pouvons faire un concours de talents.
‘Pouvons’ is present indicative; the conditional ‘pourrait’ is needed for a polite suggestion.
On pourrait faire un concours de talent.
‘Talent’ must be plural ‘talents’ because the contest involves many different abilities.
On pourrait faire un concours de talents.
While correct, many speakers prefer ‘organiser’ or ‘lancer’ for a slightly more formal tone.
↔Alternatives
On pourrait organiser un concours de talents.
We could organize a talent contest.
Nous pourrions lancer un concours de talents.
We could launch a talent contest.
Et si on faisait un concours de talents ?
How about we do a talent contest?
Cultural Tip
Talent shows are a staple of French school life and TV (e.g., “La France a un incroyable talent”). When suggesting one, keep the tone light and inclusive; using ‘on’ makes the idea feel communal rather than a top‑down command.