jétonnerais

Jétonnerais is not a standard entry in French dictionaries. In correct French, the first-person singular conditional present of the verb étonner is j’étonnerais, meaning “I would astonish” or “I would surprise.” The form jétonnerais with no apostrophe is typically considered a misspelling or typographical error, since the elision before a vowel requires j’étonnerais.

Conjugation and usage: The verb étonner is conjugated like other -er verbs in the conditional present. Full forms in the conditional present are: j’étonnerais, tu étonnerais, il/elle étonnerait, nous étonnerions, vous étonneriez, ils/elles étonneraient. The pronunciation is typically [ʒe.tɔ.ne.ʁɛ], with the elided j’ before é and no liaison in ordinary speech. This form is used to express a hypothetical action or polite or cautious statements, often in combination with si + imparfait, as in “Si je le savais, j’étonnerais tout le monde.”

Usage notes: J’étonnerais is most common in conditional clauses indicating what would happen under certain conditions, rather than as a straightforward statement of fact. The spelling jétonnerais without the apostrophe is usually considered nonstandard in formal writing and can appear only as a typographical error or in informal, nonstandard contexts.

Etymology: Étonner derives from Old French estonner/étonner, itself linked to a sense of striking or astonishing. The exact medieval roots are debated, with some connections suggested to Latin roots related to thunder or startling effects. The form j’étonnerais reflects the modern French verb-formation pattern for the conditional mood.

See also: étonner; conditional mood in French; French orthography and elision.