The conditional - verb endings
How to form the conditional
An explanation of the conditional tense, the tense that is used to talk about what would happen in the future
The conditional is formed by adding the imperfect tenseThe imperfect tense is used to describe things in the past, that used to happen regularly or an incomplete action. tense ending to the simple future tenseUsed to talk about actions that will take place in the future. stem.
The future tense stem is just the infinitiveThe form of the verb that has not been conjugated and is usually translated with 'to' in English, for example 'to play'. for -er and -ir verbs, and the infinitive minus -e for -re verbs.
| Future stem | Conditional endings | Example | English | |
| je | regarder | -ais | je regarderais | I would watch |
| tu | manger | -ais | tu mangerais | you would eat |
| il/elle/on | jouer | -ait | il/elle/on jouerait | he/she/it would play |
| nous | finir | -ions | nous finirions | we would finish |
| vous | partir | -iez | vous partiriez | you would leave |
| ils/elles | vendr | -aient | ils/elles vendraient | they would sell |
| je | |
| Future stem | regarder |
| Conditional endings | -ais |
| Example | je regarderais |
| English | I would watch |
| tu | |
| Future stem | manger |
| Conditional endings | -ais |
| Example | tu mangerais |
| English | you would eat |
| il/elle/on | |
| Future stem | jouer |
| Conditional endings | -ait |
| Example | il/elle/on jouerait |
| English | he/she/it would play |
| nous | |
| Future stem | finir |
| Conditional endings | -ions |
| Example | nous finirions |
| English | we would finish |
| vous | |
| Future stem | partir |
| Conditional endings | -iez |
| Example | vous partiriez |
| English | you would leave |
| ils/elles | |
| Future stem | vendr |
| Conditional endings | -aient |
| Example | ils/elles vendraient |
| English | they would sell |
The same verbs that have irregularSomething that does not follow regular patterns and may have a different form. stems in the simple future have irregular stems in the conditional:
| Infinitive | Future stem | Example | English |
| avoir (to have) | aur- | 箩鈥檃耻谤补颈蝉 | I would have |
| 锚迟谤别 (to be) | ser- | tu serais | you would be |
| faire (to do) | fer- | il ferait | he would do |
| aller (to go) | ir- | elle irait | she would go |
| devoir (to have to) | devr- | nous devrions | we would have to/we should |
| pouvoir (to be able to) | pour- | vous pourriez | you would be able to/you could |
| vouloir (to want to) | voudr- | ils voudraient | they would want to |
| voir (to see) | verr- | elles verraient | they would see |
| Infinitive | avoir (to have) |
|---|---|
| Future stem | aur- |
| Example | 箩鈥檃耻谤补颈蝉 |
| English | I would have |
| Infinitive | 锚迟谤别 (to be) |
|---|---|
| Future stem | ser- |
| Example | tu serais |
| English | you would be |
| Infinitive | faire (to do) |
|---|---|
| Future stem | fer- |
| Example | il ferait |
| English | he would do |
| Infinitive | aller (to go) |
|---|---|
| Future stem | ir- |
| Example | elle irait |
| English | she would go |
| Infinitive | devoir (to have to) |
|---|---|
| Future stem | devr- |
| Example | nous devrions |
| English | we would have to/we should |
| Infinitive | pouvoir (to be able to) |
|---|---|
| Future stem | pour- |
| Example | vous pourriez |
| English | you would be able to/you could |
| Infinitive | vouloir (to want to) |
|---|---|
| Future stem | voudr- |
| Example | ils voudraient |
| English | they would want to |
| Infinitive | voir (to see) |
|---|---|
| Future stem | verr- |
| Example | elles verraient |
| English | they would see |
The conditional of vouloir means 鈥榳ould like鈥. Je voudrais is a very common phrase and it can be followed by either a nounThe name of a thing such as an object, a place or a person. Nouns are often described as naming words. or another verbA word used to describe an action or state of being. (in the infinitive). For example:
- Je voudrais une baguette et deux croissants. 鈥 I would like a baguette and two croissants.
- Nous voudrions partir cet apr猫s-midi. 鈥 We would like to leave this afternoon.