What is the conditional tense and how do I use it?

The conditional tense is used to express the idea of 'would' - e.g. I would like a croissant, we would go on holidayThe conditional is formed by taking the infinitive of the verb as the stem, and then adding the same endings as for the imperfect tense:je ... aistu ... aisil/elle/on ... aitnous ... ionsvous ... iezils/elles ... aientSo, putting that all together:I prefer to stay at home - je préférerais rester chez moiThey would play football - Ils joueraient au footREMEMBER: some verbs are irregular. These don't use the infinitive stem, but have their own stems.e.g. aller - ir, faire - fer, vouloir - voudrShe would like a coffee - Elle voudrait un caféWe would go to France - Nous irions en FranceTOP TIP: When using the conditional tense, you should always be able to hear the letter R - jouerais, ferions

Answered by Sophie H. French tutor

1351 Views

See similar French GCSE tutors

Related French GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Why do some verbs take avoir and some take être in the perfect tense? How can I remember them?!


How do I know if a verb in the perfect tense should be conjugated with avoir or être?


In the perfect tense, with verbs ending in -er, how do you know when to write "é/és/ée/ées" at the end of the verb?


Vous décrivez là où vous habitez pour votre blog. Décrivez : • votre ville et ses attractions • les aspects positifs et négatifs de votre maison • une visite récente à votre ville • où vous voulez habiter à l’avenir.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2024

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences