The conditional tense (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
The conditional tense
The conditional tense is an essential part of French grammar that allows you to express what you would do, make polite suggestions, and talk about hypothetical situations. Understanding how to form and use the conditional will help you sound more natural and polite in French conversations.
What is the conditional tense?
The conditional tense is used to express what you would do in certain circumstances. It's the equivalent of "would" + verb in English. You'll use it when making polite requests, expressing wishes, or talking about hypothetical situations.
Basic Conditional Examples:
- Je voudrais un café = I would like a coffee
- Je jouerais au tennis = I would play tennis
Formation of the conditional tense
The conditional tense follows a straightforward pattern for regular verbs. You take the infinitive form of the verb (the form ending in -er, -ir, or -re) and add the conditional endings, which are the same as the imperfect tense endings.
Regular verbs
Here's how to form regular conditionals:
Formation Steps:
- Take the infinitive (e.g., manger, marcher, acheter)
- Add the conditional endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient
Regular Verb Conjugation Examples:
- manger → je mangerais (I would eat)
- marcher → il marcherait (he would walk)
- acheter → nous achèterions (we would buy)
Key vocabulary
| French | English | Conditional form |
|---|---|---|
| vouloir | to want | je voudrais (I would like) |
| aller | to go | j'irais (I would go) |
| avoir | to have | j'aurais (I would have) |
| être | to be | je serais (I would be) |
| faire | to do/make | je ferais (I would do) |
| pouvoir | to be able to | je pourrais (I could) |
| manger | to eat | je mangerais (I would eat) |
| jouer | to play | je jouerais (I would play) |
Foundation tier focus: vouloir
If you're studying at Foundation tier, the most important conditional form to master is vouloir. You'll need to know these forms:
- je voudrais = I would like
- tu voudrais = you would like
- il/elle/on voudrait = he/she/one would like
This polite form is essential for making requests and expressing preferences in French.
Irregular conditionals
Some important verbs have irregular stems in the conditional, but they still use the same endings. These are the same irregular stems used in the future tense:
| Infinitive | Conditional stem | Example |
|---|---|---|
| aller | ir- | j'irais (I would go) |
| avoir | aur- | j'aurais (I would have) |
| être | ser- | je serais (I would be) |
| faire | fer- | je ferais (I would do) |
Important to Remember: The endings are always the same whether the verb is regular or irregular:
- je serais, tu serais, il/elle serait, nous serions, vous seriez, ils/elles seraient
Uses of the conditional
Making polite requests
The conditional makes your requests sound more polite and less demanding:
Polite Request Examples:
- On pourrait faire du vélo? = We could go cycling?
- Je voudrais aller au concert ce soir = I'd like to go to the concert this evening
Expressing wishes and preferences
Use the conditional to talk about what you would like to do:
Expressing Wishes:
- Je jouerais au tennis = I would play tennis
- Nous aimerions visiter Paris = We would like to visit Paris
Hypothetical situations with 'si' clauses
The conditional is often used with 'si' (if) clauses:
Hypothetical Situations:
- Si tu mangeais correctement, tu n'aurais pas faim = If you ate properly, you wouldn't be hungry
- Si j'avais de l'argent, j'irais au Canada = If I had money, I would go to Canada
Example sentences
Present Context Examples:
- Je voudrais un sandwich, s'il vous plaît = I would like a sandwich, please
- Tu pourrais m'aider? = Could you help me?
- Elle aimerait voir ce film = She would like to see this film
Past Context Examples:
- J'aurais aimé venir hier = I would have liked to come yesterday
- Il aurait préféré rester à la maison = He would have preferred to stay at home
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Essential Grammar Tips:
- Silent endings: The -ais, -ait endings are pronounced the same way (like "eh")
- Liaison: Remember to make liaisons where appropriate (nous_irions)
- Accent marks: Be careful with accent marks in written French (je préférerais)
- Formality: The conditional is more polite than the present tense for requests
Translation exercises
French to English Translation:
- Je préférerais manger au restaurant = I would prefer to eat at the restaurant
- Si j'avais faim, je mangerais du fromage = If I was hungry, I would eat some cheese
English to French Translation:
- I would like to go to town on Saturday = Je voudrais aller en ville samedi
- We could go to the beach if it was nice weather = On pourrait aller à la plage s'il faisait beau
Key Points to Remember:
- The conditional is formed using the infinitive + imperfect endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient)
- Master je voudrais first - it's the most useful conditional form for everyday communication
- Irregular verbs use the same stems as the future tense (ir-, aur-, ser-, fer-)
- Use the conditional to be polite, express wishes, and talk about hypothetical situations
- The conditional is essential for 'si' clauses expressing hypothetical scenarios