Verb tense - future vs. conditional or subjunctive, or what?

[David Martin]

I am getting a tattoo with a motto in French. My reading ability in French is basic. I am trying to get a proper translation of the English phrase "Prefer me, and I will prefer you." The motto will be below a caduceus. The idea behind the tattoo is personal, but personally represents the importance of balance in life. In other words, the French declaration is one snake speaking to another and in fact is an invitation to entwine on the staff. I would like to have the words in French since I met a person in my youth who was French and piqued my interest in magic.

Google translate gives me "Preferer moi, et je vais vous preferez" (no accents, this is my iPad)

This translation does not seem correct to me. It seems that the verb "vais" would give the second clause a notion of futurity that is not appropriate to the saying.

If I drop the future auxiliary "will" from the English, the French (Google translate) then becomes, to my ears, more appropriate, "Preferer moi, et je vous prefere." The second verb is the present subjunctive, again accents are lacking.

What is the best way to render this statement? The language doesn't need to be contemporary French, and if it sounds dated that is alright. I met this person almost forty years ago, and he was quite old when we met. I am sure his French was dated by today's standards.

Many thanks in advance!



David

[Chantal Savignat]

Hello

to begin to work with your sentence.

The two sentence are not sounding correct. And there is a spelling mistake.

the most appropriate would be :

"préférez-moi et je vous préférerais"       (1)

or "préférez-moi et je vous préférerai"

the difference between these two sentences is an "S" at the end of "préférerai" : the first one is conditionnal, the second is future.

but you can say :

"préfère-moi et je te préférerais" or "préfère-moi et je te préférerai"   (2)

the difference between the two first sentences (1) and the two second ones (2) is the person.

in French with close friends, "tu" is used and with the others, or in general we say "vous".

The (1) is for "vous" and the (2) is for 'tu"

[David Martin]

Merci!

Would the sentence using the conditional be more polite than the one using the future?

Also, would there be any unfortunate implications of the verb "preferer" in this context. (One snake is talking to the other and asking him to to come to his side, while stating that he will do the same in return).

Thanks,

David

[Chantal Savignat]

in oral, the pronounciation is exactly the same.

I find the conditional more ... "nice" in eyes. And more appropriate. Maybe someone else will have a other opinion..

nothing about "unfortunate implications of the verb "préférer"" but the idea behind this motta is not easily understandable. It's difficult to explain. The sentence is ok, but weird. Maybe because of the using of "préférer". Yet, I think it's the same meaning than "prefer" ?

"préférer" = "like something or someone more than the others".

[David Martin]

Many thanks! The motto reflects an understanding that I have developed from reading books on alchemy. The idea that it represents to me may be a misunderstanding, but I am endeared to it.

I am glad to finally understand how to best to say this paradoxical statement in French. In some ways, the two snakes entwined around the staff (a caduceus) is a visual paradox, and I wanted the language to reflect that paradox (verbally) from the point of view of one of the snakes.

I am very grateful for the consideration you gave my question.

Thanks,

David Martin

[Vedas]

I would prefer an old fashioned version:

Jetez votre dévolu sur moi et je ferai de même/ je serai vôtre

" set your heart on me and I'll /do the same/ be yours"

And sorry to sound pompous but normally the conditionnal and the future shouldn't sound the same:

je serai (é)/ je serais (è) and I'm aware that in every day conversations few people make the difference but I consider that when you learn a language you like to learn it properly...