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French grammar · Level A2–B1

Conditionnel: the French conditional

The conditionnel is the French “would”: je voudrais — I would like, je ferais — I would do. It makes polite requests (Je voudrais un café), gives advice (Tu devrais dormir) and talks about the imaginary: Si j’avais le temps, je voyagerais. It’s easy to build: the futur simple stem plus the imparfait endings.

QuizContents
Contents
  1. How to form the conditionnel
  2. Irregular stems
  3. Politeness and advice
  4. Si + imparfait → conditionnel
  5. Common mistakes
  6. Quiz
  7. FAQ

How to form the conditionnel

Take the infinitive (dropping the final e of -re verbs) and add the imparfait endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. The tell-tale sign is the r before the ending: je parlais (imparfait) → je parlerais (conditionnel).

Regular verbs
Personparlerfinirprendre
jeparleraisfiniraisprendrais
tuparleraisfiniraisprendrais
il / elle / onparleraitfiniraitprendrait
nousparlerionsfinirionsprendrions
vousparleriezfiniriezprendriez
ils / ellesparleraientfiniraientprendraient

Irregular stems

Irregular verbs use the same stem as in the futur simple. If you know je serai, you know je serais.

Irregular stems
VerbStemje…nous…
êtreser-seraisserions
avoiraur-j’auraisaurions
allerir-j’iraisirions
fairefer-feraisferions
pouvoirpourr-pourraispourrions
vouloirvoudr-voudraisvoudrions
devoirdevr-devraisdevrions
venirviendr-viendraisviendrions
voirverr-verraisverrions

Politeness and advice

In a café, a shop or a letter, the conditionnel sounds softer than the présent: Je voudrais instead of Je veux, Pourriez-vous instead of Pouvez-vous. With devoir it gives advice (you should), and à ta place means “if I were you”.

  • Je voudrais une baguette, s’il vous plaît.I’d like a baguette, please.
  • Pourriez-vous répéter ?Could you repeat that?
  • Tu devrais te reposer.You should get some rest.
  • À ta place, je dirais la vérité.If I were you, I’d tell the truth.
  • J’aimerais visiter Montréal.I’d love to visit Montreal.

Si + imparfait → conditionnel

To talk about an imaginary situation, put the imparfait after si and the conditionnel in the main clause. The clauses can swap places. The conditionnel never comes straight after si.

  • Si j’avais de l’argent, j’achèterais une maison.If I had money, I’d buy a house.
  • Si tu venais, nous serions contents.If you came, we’d be glad.
  • Je sortirais s’il ne pleuvait pas.I’d go out if it weren’t raining.

Tip: Don’t confuse it with a real condition: Si + présent → futur (Si tu viens, je serai content — if you come, I’ll be glad). The imparfait after si makes it hypothetical.

Common mistakes

The mistakes people make most often — and the right way.

  • Wrong: Si j’aurais le temps…

    Right: Si j’avais le temps…

    After si, use the imparfait, never the conditionnel.

  • Wrong: Je allerais

    Right: J’irais

    aller has the stem ir-.

  • Wrong: Je pouvrais

    Right: Je pourrais

    pouvoir has the stem pourr-.

  • Wrong: Si tu venais, je serai content.

    Right: Si tu venais, je serais content.

    Si + imparfait → conditionnel (-ais), not futur (-ai).

  • Wrong: Je vouloirais un thé.

    Right: Je voudrais un thé.

    vouloir has the stem voudr-.

The conditionnel: je voudrais

Quiz

10 questions: choose the right option — the explanation appears straight away.

  1. Question 1

    Je _____ un café, s’il vous plaît.

  2. Question 2

    Si j’avais de l’argent, j’_____ une maison.

  3. Question 3

    _____-vous m’aider ?

  4. Question 4

    Si tu _____ plus tôt, tu ne serais pas fatigué.

  5. Question 5

    Si vous veniez, nous _____ contents.

  6. Question 6

    Tu _____ parler à ton professeur.

  7. Question 7

    À ta place, j’_____ chez le médecin.

  8. Question 8

    Il _____ venir, mais il est malade.

  9. Question 9

    Si elle avait le temps, elle _____ du sport.

  10. Question 10

    J’_____ bien visiter Paris un jour.

Correct: 0 of 10

Read next

FAQ

Didn’t find your answer? Send us a request — we’ll tell you everything.

How do I tell je voudrai from je voudrais?

They sound almost the same; in writing the -s makes the difference: je voudrai is the future (I will want), je voudrais the conditional (I would like). Requests always use je voudrais.

Can I say “si je serais”?

No — it’s a classic mistake, even among native speakers. The correct form is Si j’étais riche, je serais heureux.

How do I say “I would have done”?

For the past there’s the conditionnel passé: avoir / être in the conditional + participle: J’aurais aimé venir — I would have liked to come.

Other topics

All topicsFrench verb conjugationFrench irregular verbs

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