Le Conditionnel

Question 1

When to use conditionnel?

Answer 1

→ To express a wish, a possibility, or a hypothesis in the present or the future or in the past
Example: Michel aimerait être en vacances. (Michel would like to be on holiday)

→ As a tense to talk about the future from a past point of view
Example: Michel pensait qu’il pourrait partir en voyage. (Micheal thought he could take a trip.)

→ In if clauses
Example: S’il partait pour les Caraïbes, il pourrait aller à la plage tous les jours. (If he went to the Caribbean, he would lie on the beach every day)

→ To make polite requests
Example: Michel, est-ce que tu pourrais venir au tableau? (Micheal could you come to the blackboard please?)

Question 2

How to conjugate Conditionnel in present

Answer 2

To conjugate conditionnel, you simply add the imparfait ending to the futur simple form of the word. This is usually the infinitif of the word, however, if the word ends with -re then the e is omitted as two vowels cannot be together.

Imparfait Endings:
Je → ais
Tu → ais
Il/Elle/On → ait
Nous → ions
Vous → iez
Ils/Elles → aient

The same exceptions from futur simple apply here!

Question 3

How to conjugate avoir in conditionnel present

Answer 3

J’aurais
Tu aurais
Il/Elle/On aurait
Nous aurions
Vous auriez
Ils/Elles auraient

Question 4

How to conjugate être in conditionnel present

Answer 4

Je serais
Tu serais
Il/Elle/On serait
Nous serions
Vous seriez
Ils/Ells seraient

Question 5

How to conjugate conditionnel passé

Answer 5

The past conditional in french corresponds to the english structure “would have” + past participle. In conditionnel passé we use the conditionnel of avoir/être followed by the participe passé of the verb.

Avoir/Être (Le forme conditionnel) + participe passé

Example: aimer → Conditionnel Passé
J’aurais aimé
Tu aurais aimé
Il/Elle/On aurait aimé
Nous aurions aimé
Vous auriez aimé
Ils/Elles auraient aimé

Question 6

Agreement of the participe passé in conditionnel passé

Answer 6

→ Verbs with être must agree in gender and number of the subject of the sentence
Examples:
Ils seraient partis en vacances.
Elles seraient parties en vacances.

→ For verbs that have avoir the participle agrees with the object that comes before the verb
Examples:
Le maître aurait interrogé les écoliers. → Il les aurait interrogés.
Le maître aurait interrogé les écolières. → Il les aurait interrogées.

→ Reflexive verbs, the past participle generally agrees with the subject
↪ The participe passé does not agree if it is followed by a direct object
Example: Elle se serait lavé les mains (les mains is the direct object so no agreement is made)
Elle se serait lavée. (There is no direct following the verb so the agreement is made)
↪The past participle never agrees with the indirect object
Example: Marie et Laurent se seraient téléphoné