The French Conditional Mood: Usage, Formation and Tips
In English, the conditional mood uses helping verbs such as “would” and “could.” French, however, requires a completely new conjugation to convey a similar meaning.
The French conditional is not a tense that indicates time, but rather a mood for events that are not guaranteed to happen—events that rely on specific conditions to be met (this is why it's called "conditional").
Here is a guide featuring some useful strategies for mastering the French conditional.
How to Form French Conditional Conjugations
Learning how to conjugate the conditional is one of the initial steps. Fortunately, there's a straightforward rule with no exceptions this time!
To create the conditional in French, begin with the root of the future simple tense. For instance:
| Verb Group | Example | Conditional Form |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | parler speak | parler- |
| 2nd | choisir choose | choisir- |
| 3rd | descendre visit | descendr- |
You'll see that for all verb groups, the root matches the infinitive (though the final “e” is removed in the third group).
As you may be aware, the future simple includes a number of irregular roots. These irregular roots remain the same in the conditional. You simply add the same endings used in the imperfect tense—like those shown below.
| French Irregular Verbs | avoir have | savoir know | être be | faire do/make | voir see | aller go |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je I Tu You (singular) | aurais | saurais | serais | ferais | verrais | irais |
| Il He Elle She On We | aurait | saurait | serait | ferait | verrait | irait |
| Nous We | aurions | saurions | serions | ferions | verrions | irions |
| Vous You (plural) | auriez | sauriez | seriez | feriez | verriez | iriez |
| Ils They (masculine) Elles They (feminine) | auraient | sauraient | seraient | feraient | verraient | iraient |
For all these entries, the verb translations would be “would + present form of verb”—for example, aurais means “would have”.
That's all there is to it! Much easier than you anticipated, isn't it? If you're familiar with the imperfect and the future simple, you already know most of it. Now you just need to learn the appropriate contexts for using the conditional.
When to Use the French Conditional
Teaching the conditional mood usually starts with si (if) clauses. French has three si clauses, one of which employs the conditional. This is the primary use of the conditional in French, which is why it's crucial to master this before exploring other uses.
Si + Present, Future Simple
The first si clause doesn't use the conditional mood, making it a good starting point for learning the form without needing to recall all the new conjugations right away:
Si j’ai le temps, je t’appellerai. (If I have time, I’ll call you.)
This si clause describes actions that will happen in the future if a present event occurs. It suggests the present action is very likely, hence the future tense is used instead of the conditional.
Si + Imperfect, Conditional
Si j’avais le temps, je t’appellerais. (If I had time, I would call you.)
This si clause refers to actions that are entirely conditional. It implies the action is possible but not definite.
Si + Pluperfect, Past Conditional
Si j’avais eu le temps, je t’aurais appelé. (If I’d had time, I would’ve called you.)
This si clause often conveys a sense of regret. It expresses the idea of "should have" or "could have" in English.
As shown in the sentence above, the past conditional is simple to form once you know the conditional and the passé composé (perfect tense). Similar to the pluperfect or plus-que-parfait, the past conditional is formed with the conditional of the auxiliary verb (être or avoir, depending on the lexical verb) and the past participle of the lexical verb.
Besides si clauses (the main use of the conditional in French), the conditional can also be used to show politeness, especially with verbs that indicate desire, such as the following.
| French Verbs Expressing Desire | vouloir want | désirer want | aimer love | pouvoir can |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present Simple Tense | Je veux un sandwich. I want a sandwich. | Je désire un café. I want a coffee. | J'aime le cinéma. I like the movie theater. | Peux-tu me donner un stylo ? Can you give me a pen? |
| Conditional Form | Je voudrais un sandwich. I would like a sandwich. | Je désirerais un café. I would like a coffee. | J'aimerais venir au cinéma avec vous. I would like to come to the cinema with you. | Pourrais-tu me donner un stylo ? Could you give me a pen? |
The conditional can also be used for giving advice. For example, using devoir (must):
Tu dois faire tes devoirs tout de suite. (You must do your homework right now.) Tu devrais faire tes devoirs tout de suite. (You should do your homework right now.)
When to Not Use the French Conditional
When explained like this, the conditional appears quite simple, but be careful! There are some frequent errors in using the conditional, even among native French speakers.
Don’t use the conditional with all verbs to “be polite”
A major error in using the French conditional is overusing its polite function. Some learners think that because the conditional adds politeness, it makes every sentence more polite and consequently write entire emails to their boss or teacher in the conditional.
However, using the conditional in every sentence does not increase politeness. The polite use of the conditional should be reserved for verbs that express desire (e.g., vouloir, aimer, désirer) or verbs that prompt action from someone else (e.g., pouvoir or devoir).
For verbs outside these categories, it's better to be cautious about using the conditional for politeness.
Don’t use the conditional immediately after si
Another common mistake made by French speakers is using the conditional on both sides of the si clause:
*Si j’aurais su, je l’aurais fait. (*If I would had known, I’d have done it.)
The correct form is Si j’avais su, je l’aurais fait. (If I had known, I would have done it.)
You should never place the conditional right after si. This mistake often occurs because, in modern spoken French, words are often omitted. The si in the si clause is one such word, and without it, some people overcorrect by using the conditional twice.
If you're using French immersion to enhance your skills, you might hear this in conversations with French friends. And if you're trying to sound very French, you might feel inclined to imitate them. Resist this temptation! This use of the conditional is incorrect and should not become a habit, even in casual speech.
How to Practice the French Conditional
Now that you understand the French conditional, it's time to put it into practice! The essential step for learning this form is consistent practice.
Read the example sentences in this post aloud. Write them on flashcards and review them in a week, then again after two weeks. Look for examples in vlogs, TV series, and other videos that feature everyday French.
You don't have to wait until you encounter the form in native content, however. You can use Lingflix to find the conditional in authentic videos.
Lingflix uses real-world videos—such as music videos, movie trailers, news, and inspiring talks—and transforms them into personalized language learning lessons.
While other platforms often rely on scripted material, Lingflix employs a natural method that gradually introduces you to the French language and culture. You'll learn French as it is genuinely spoken by real people. Lingflix offers a broad range of engaging content, including interviews and web series, as shown here: Lingflix makes native videos accessible with interactive subtitles. You can tap on any word to see an instant definition. Each definition includes examples that illustrate how the word is used. For instance, if you tap on the word "crois," you'll see this: Practice and strengthen all the vocabulary you've learned in a specific video with Lingflix's adaptive quizzes. Swipe left or right to view more examples for the word you’re learning and engage with the mini-games in the dynamic flashcards, such as "fill in the blank." While you study, Lingflix monitors the vocabulary you're learning and uses this data to provide a fully personalized experience. It offers additional practice with challenging words and alerts you when it's time to review what you've learned. Access the Lingflix website on your computer or tablet, or download the Lingflix app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
Already confident with the conditional? Then try using it in real conversations with French speakers. You might also incorporate it when practicing your French writing.
Once you've learned the correct usage and conjugation of the conditional, you'll be on your way to mastering this advanced French mood.
