Le Conditionnel présent

The Conditional Present

Le Conditionnel : If...then
• The conditional tense is mainly used when we have to use “ if...then”
constructs.
• It expresses the idea that if this were to happen, then that would be the
result. 
• While French uses the word si in the "if" or condition clause, but does not
use a term for "then" in the result clause. The conditional verb itself is used
in the result (then) clause, while only four other tenses are permitted in
the si clause: présent, passé composé, imparfait, and plus-que-parfait.
• Il mangerait s'il avait faim: He would eat if he were hungry
• Si nous étudiions, nous serions plus intelligents: If we studied, (then) we
would be smarter
• Il mangerait avec nous si nous l'invitions: He would eat with us if we invited
him
• Special Cases: Vouloir and Aimer
• The verb vouloir (to want) is used in the conditional to express
a polite request:
• Je voudrais une pomme: I would like an apple
• Je voudrais y aller avec vous: I would like to go with you
• However, you can't say “si vous voudriez" to mean "if you would
like," because the French conditional can never be used after si.
• The verb aimer (to like, love) is used to express a polite desire,
sometimes one that cannot be fulfilled:
• J'aimerais bien le voir: I would really like to see it
• J'aimerais y aller, mais je dois travailler: I would like to go, but I
have to work
Conjugations
• Take the stem of futur simple and add endings
• endings are just like imparfait endings
• (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient)
Examples
Subject Ending aimer  choisir  Dire 

je -ais Aimerais Choisirais dirais

tu -ais Aimerais Choisirais dirais

il -ait Aimerait Choisirait dirait

nous -irons Aimerions Choisirions dirions

vous -iez Aimeriez Choisiriez diriez

ils -aient Aimeraient Choisiraient diraient

 Irregulars
• The conditional stem always ends in "r." 
• The exact same verbs are irregular in the future tense and use the
same stems.
• When conjugating these into the conditional, simply attach the
endings noted above according to the subject pronoun in your
sentence.
Infinitive Verb Conditional Similar Verbs Infinitive Conditional Similar Verbs
Stem Verb Stem
acheter  achèter- achever, amener, devoir  devr-
emmener, lever, promener
acquérir  acquerr- conquérir, s'enquérir envoyer  enverr-

appeler  appeller- épeler, rappeler, essayer  essaier- balayer, effrayer,

renouveler payer
aller  ir-   essuyer  essuier- appuyer, ennuyer

avoir  aur-   être  ser-

courir courr- concourir, discourir, faire  fer-

parcourir
Infinitive Verb Conditional Similar Verbs Infinitive Conditional Similar Verbs
Stem Verb Stem

falloir  faudr-   Tenir tiendr- maintenir,

obtenir, soutenir

jeter  jetter- feuilleter, hoqueter, valoir  vaudr-  

projeter, rejeter

nettoyer  nettoier employer, noyer, tutoyer, - venir viendr- devenir, parvenir,

ayer stem-changing verbs revenir

pleuvoir  pleuvr-   voir  verr- revoir

pouvoir  pourr-   vouloir  voudr-  

savoir  saur-