French Conditional (Present & Past)
LE CONDITIONNEL (PRÉSENT/PASSÉ)
Learn French Conditional (Present & Past)
Let’s learn how to conjugate the conditional, both present and past !
When to use the Conditional
- First, do you know what it corresponds to in English and when to use it ? The conditional is used to express a possibility, something that would or could happen if… In English, you guys use WOULD or sometimes also COULD to conjugate a verb in the conditional. Examples :

Source: Pixabay
I would like to visit France. = J’AIMERAIS VISITER LA FRANCE.
I could visit France, but I want to go to Spain first. = JE POURRAIS VISITER LA FRANCE, MAIS JE VEUX D’ABORD ALLER EN ESPAGNE.
- The conditional is also use to be extra polite as in :
Could you pass me the wine, please ? = POURRIEZ-VOUS ME PASSER LE VIN, S’IL VOUS PLAÎT ?

Source: Pixabay
How to form the French Present Conditional
If you already know how to conjugate French verbs in the simple future, then you’re going to have an easy time learning the conditional present. If you don’t know the simple future yet, maybe check out the Ohlalafrench lesson now : LE FUTUR !
Ok, now we’re all on the same page, we’re ready to learn the French conditional present. Basically, the stem is the same as for LE FUTUR SIMPLE. You keep the infinitive of the verb, and you add the conditional endings which are actually the same as those use in the imperfect, L’IMPARFAIT.
Here are the endings again :
-AIS, -AIS, -AIT, -IONS, -IEZ, -AIENT
Let’s have a look at a specific example. I’ve chosen an -ER ending verb I like : INSPIRER (to inspire)

Source: Pixabay
INSPIRER
J’inspirerAIS
Tu inspirerAIS
Il/elle/on inspirerAIT
Nous inspirerIONS
Vous inspirerIEZ
Ils/elles inspirerAIENT
Of course, as usual, you have irregular verbs. Those are going to be the same as for the future. Here are the rebels again :
ALLER (to go): IR-
APERCEVOIR (to have a quick look at): APERCEVR-
AVOIR (to have): AUR-
CUEILLIR (to pick): CUEILLER-
COURIR (to run): COURR-
DEVOIR (to have to): DEVR-
ENVOYER (to send): ENVERR-
ÊTRE (to be): SER-
FAIRE (to do): FER-
FALLOIR (one has to): IL FAUDRAIT
MOURIR (to die): MOURR-
POUVOIR (to be able to): POURR-
PLEUVOIR (to rain): IL PLEUVRAIT
RECEVOIR (to receive): RECEVR-
S’ASSEOIR (to sit down): S’ASSIÉR- or S’ASSOIR-
SAVOIR (to know): SAUR-
TENIR (to hold): TIENDR-
VALOIR (to be worth): VAUDR-
VENIR (to come): DEVIENDR-
VOIR (to see): VERR-
How to form the French Past Conditional
Now, we can move on to learning the past conditional, LE CONDITIONNEL PASSÉ. Basically, the logic is kind of similar to that used with the PASSÉ COMPOSÉ. We’re going to take the verb AVOIR, put it in the present of the conditional, and add the past participle of the verb.
AVOIR in the Conditional Present + Past Participle

Source: Pixabay
ADORER
J’AURAIS adoré
Tu AURAIS adoré
Il/elle/on AURAIT adoré
Nous AURIONS adoré
Vous AURIEZ adoré
Ils/elles AURAIENT adoré
Got it ? Now, the verbs conjugated with ÊTRE in the PASSÉ COMPOSÉ, are also going to be conjugated with ÊTRE in the past conditional. Example :
PARTIR
Je SERAIS parti(e)
Tu SERAIS parti(e)
Il/Elle/On SERAIT parti(e)
Nous SERIONS parti(es)
Vous SERIEZ parti(es)
Ils/Elles SERAIENT parti(es)
And as you can notice here, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject it relates to. Just as in the Passé Composé !
Any questions ? Just comment on this post and I’ll do my best to reply to your queries.
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