Le conditionnel Flashcards
Usage
The conditional is used to express what WOULD, COULD or SHOULD happen.
- It is used to say what WOULD happen if certain conditions were fulfilled (often with ‘if’ phrases).
- Use with ‘devoir’ to offer advice or tell someone what they SHOULD do:
- The conditional of pouvoir can be used to make a suggestion or to tell someone what they COULD do:
- Use of ‘vouloir’ for politeness in asking for something
Use with ‘si’ and l’imparfait for things that you WOULD do
It is often used with ‘if’ clauses and the imperfect to say what you WOULD do if the circumstances were different. For example:
- S’ils avaient plus d’argent, ils iraient en France
- Si c’était plus facile, je le ferais tous les jours
- Je regarderais la télévision toute la journée.
- Si j’avais le temps, je jouerais de la guitar plus souvent
Use with ‘devoir’ for advice or telling people what they SHOULD do
The conditional of devoir can be used to offer advice, or to tell someone what they SHOULD do.
For example:
- Tu devrais faire tes devoirs (you should do your homework) rather than tu dois faire tes devoirs - you must do your homework.
Use with ‘pouvoir’ for things that you COULD do
The conditional of pouvoir can be used to make a suggestion or to tell someone what they COULD do. For example:
- Vous pourriez visiter le musée - you could visit the museum rather than vous pouvez visiter le musée - you can visit the museum.
Use of ‘vouloir’ for politeness in asking for something
e.g. Je voudrais un café
Distinguishing between l’imparfait and le conditionnel, e.g. pouvoir
Translate: If I could sell my car, I could buy a motorbike
Si je POUVAIS (imperfect) vendre ma voiture, je POURRAIS (conditional) acheter une moto.
Translate:
We would go to America if we had more money
Nous irions aux États Unis si nous avions plus d’argent.
Formation of the conditionnel present
Stem of the futur simple + l’imparfait endings
Conjugate:
Aller
j'irais tu irais il irait nous irions vous iriez ils iraient
Conjugate:
Etre
je serais tu serais il serait nous serions vous seriez ils seraient
Conjugate:
Avoir
j'aurais tu aurais il aurait nous aurions vous auriez ils auraient
Formation of the conditionnel passe
Conditionnel présent (Futur simple stem + imparfait endings) + past participle
Conjuagate:
Faire
je ferais tu ferais il ferait nous ferions vous feriez ils feraient
Conjugate:
Vouloir
Translate:
If I had more time, I would like to travel the world
je voudrais tu voudrais il voudrait nous voudrions vous voudriez ils voudraient
Si j’avais plus de temps, j’aimerais voyager à travers le monde.
Conjugate:
Devoir
je devrais tu devrais il devrait nous devrions vous devriez ils devraient
