How French works
The conditional is used to express what would happen given a certain event or situation. In English it is formed using the word would, for example I would give, he would go etc.
In French it’s very similar in form to the future tense. You take the infinitive as stem and add the endings shown in the table:
| aimer to like | ||
|---|---|---|
| je | -ais | aimerais |
| tu | -ais | aimeras |
| il / elle | -ait | aimera |
| nous | -ions | aimerions |
| vous | -iez | aimeriez |
| ils / elles | -aient | aimeraient |
J’aimerais bien aller en France
I’d really like to go to France
Si j’avais le temps je t'aiderais
If I had the time I’d help you
Verbs ending –ir follow the same pattern:
| finir to finish | ||
|---|---|---|
| je | finirais | |
| tu | finirais | |
| il / elle | finirait | |
| nous | finirions | |
| vous | finiriez | |
| ils / elles | finiraient | |
Here are some examples:
Si tu arrêtais de parler tu finirais plus tôt
If you stopped talking you’d finish earlier
Je ne choisirais pas cette robe
I wouldn't choose that dress
As with the future, for verbs ending –re you remove the final –e from the infinitive :
| rendre to give back | ||
|---|---|---|
| je | rendrais | |
| tu | rendrais | |
| il / elle | rendrait | |
| nous | rendrions | |
| vous | rendriez | |
| ils / elles | rendraient | |
Si tu parlais plus fort elle t'entendrait
If you spoke louder she would hear you
Il ne répondrait pas à cette question
He wouldn't reply to that question
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