The Conditional Present

How to form the Conational Present ('would')

It is used in French with similar functions to the formula ‘would’ or ‘d’ in English.

When is this form used?

• Future-in-the-past, as in: he said he would leave.

• A potential or hypothetical event often accompanied by an if… clause with a past verb: I’d be very upset if he couldn’t come.

• For pragmatic functions such as to express politeness (I’d like… Je voudrais) or conjecture (I’d say… Je dirais).

What does it express?

That there are a few uses of the conditional in French whose parallels don’t use would in English. And conversely some uses of would in English aren’t usually translated by a conditional in French.

Always remember what?

Future Tense (essentially the infinitive; jouer, porter, finir, boire…)

What verb form do you need to know?

Imperfect Tense

What verb endings do you need to know?

• Future Tense + Imperfect Verb Endings

• Example: I’d give = Je donnerais

How is it formed?

• Je = ais

• Tu = ais

• Il/elle/on = ait

• Nous = ions

• Vous = iez

• Ils/elles = aient

What are the Imperfect Tense endings for je, tu, il/elle/on, nous, vous and ils/elles?

J’irais (Stem is ir-)

What is the je form for Aller?

J’aurais (Stem is aur-)

What is the je form for Avoir?

Je devrais (Stem is devr-)

What is the je form for Devoir?

Je ferais (Stem is fer-)

What is the je form for Faire?

Je saurais (Stem is saur-)

What is the je form for Savoir?

Je viendrais (Stem is viendr-)

What is the je form for Venir?

Je verrais (Stem is verr-)

What is the je form for Voir?

J’enverrais (Stem is enverr-)

What is the je form for Envoyer?

Je recevrais (Stem is recevr-)

What is the je form for Recevoir?

Je pourrais (Stem is pourr-)

What is the je form for Pouvoir?

• Je pourrais

• Tu pourrais

• Il/elle/on pourrait

• Nous pourrions

• Vous pourriez

• Ils/elles pourraient

What are all the ways to translate ‘could’?

• Je devrais

• Tu devrais

• Il/elle/on devrait

• Nous devrions

• Vous devriez

• Ils/elles devraient

What are all the ways to translate ‘should’?

Je serais (Stem is ser-)

What is the je form for Etre?

Je mourrais (Stem is mourr-)

What is the je form for Mourir?

Je voudrais (Stem is voudr-)

What is the je form for Vouloir?

Il faudrait (Stem is faudr- it would be necessary to)

What is the form for falloir?