The French imperfect tenseUsing imperfect tense in a conditional sentence
The imperfect tense describes an ongoing action in the past or something that used to happen. Get to grips with using the imperfect tense and check your understanding with a quiz.
Using the imperfect tense in a conditional sentence
To talk about a hypothetical situation, use si (if) with the imperfect in one part of the sentence (the condition), and the conditional Describes what someone would, should or could do or what could happen in the future. in the other part of the sentence, just as in English. For example:
Si nous avions beaucoup d鈥檃rgent, nous irions en vacances tous les mois. 鈥 If we had a lot of money, we would go on holiday every month.
Si 箩鈥櫭﹖补颈蝉 le directeur de mon coll猫ge, on 苍鈥檃耻谤补颈迟 pas d鈥檜niforme. 鈥 If I was the headteacher of my school, we wouldn鈥檛 have a uniform.
Choose the correct verb in brackets.
Question
Si [箩鈥櫭﹖补颈蝉/je serais] riche, [箩鈥櫭﹖补颈蝉/je serais] plus paresseux.
Si 箩鈥櫭﹖补颈蝉 riche, je serais plus paresseux. - If I was rich, I would be lazier.
Question
Si [j鈥檃urais/箩鈥檃惫补颈蝉] plus d鈥檃rgent, [j鈥檃chetais/j鈥檃ch猫terais] une voiture.
Si 箩鈥檃惫补颈蝉 plus d鈥檃rgent, j鈥檃ch猫terais une voiture. - If I had more money, I would buy a car.
Question
Si nous [habitions/habiterions], 脿 la campagne nous [茅tions/serions] plus heureux.
Si nous habitions 脿 la campagne, nous serions plus heureux. - If we lived in the countryside, we would be happy.
Question
Si elles [allaient/iraient] au coll猫ge 脿 v茅lo, elles [茅taient/seraient] plus en forme.
Si elles allaient au coll猫ge 脿 v茅lo, elles seraient plus en forme. - If they went to school by bike, they would be fit.