Conjugate most French verbs in the conditional present (Le Conditionnel Présent)

The present conditional tense, Le Conditionnel Présent, is used to express hypothetical situations, wishes and desires.

If I were rich, I would travel.

Learn how to conjugate verbs in Le Conditionnel Présent in French

In Le Conditionnel Présent, you always use the same stem as the one used in Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) followed with L'Imparfait (Indicatif) endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient).
In practice, it works as follows:
 

1 -  -ER and -IR verbs retain their infinitives as stems

Je danserais toute la nuit si je le pouvais !I would dance all night if I could!

Est-ce que tu choisirais l'écharpe noire ou la bleue ?Would you choose the black scarf or the blue one?

Il le mangerait s'il avait encore faim.He would eat it if he was still hungry.

Nous aimerions étudier le français.We would like to study French.

Vous finiriez votre travail si vous n'étiez pas paresseux.You would finish your work if you weren't lazy.

Ils partiraient plus tard s'ils ne travaillaient pas demain.They would leave later if they didn't work tomorrow.

2-  -DRE and -RE verbs drop the -e at the end of their infinitives

Je répondrais si je connaissais la réponse.I would reply if I knew the answer.

Je pense que tu vendrais facilement ta maison.I think that you'd sell your house easily.

Il prendrait l'avion s'il en avait les moyens.He would take the plane if he could afford it.

Nous ne boirions que de l'eau si nous étions raisonnables.We would only drink water if we were reasonable.

Vous perdriez votre tête si elle n'était pas attachée à votre cou !You would lose your head if it wasn't attached to your neck!

Elles vivraient sous la mer si elles pouvaient être des sirènes.They would live under the sea if they could be mermaids.

3-  Verbs with irregular stems in Le Futur Simple (Indicatif) keep the same irregular stem in Le Conditionnel Présent

Je voudrais une part de tarte aux pommes, s'il vous plaît.I would like a slice of apple tart, please.

Tu viendrais si ton ex n'était pas là ?Would you come if your ex wasn't there?

Mélanie recevrait ses amies à dîner si elle ne vivait pas dans un studio.Mélanie would have her friends over for dinner if she didn't live in a studio.

Si nous gagnions au loto, nous achèterions une maison au bord de la mer.If we won the lottery, we would buy a house by the sea.

Vous sauriez qui est responsable si vous étiez restés jusqu'au bout.You would know who's responsible if you'd stayed until the end.

Ils verraient mieux s'il n'y avait pas autant de brouillard.They would see better if it wasn't so foggy.

 
See also the following lessons on Le Conditionnel Présent:

Conjugate être in the conditional present in French (Le Conditionnel Présent)

Conjugate faire in the conditional present in French (Le Conditionnel Présent)

Conjugate aller in the conditional present in French (Le Conditionnel Présent)

Conjugate devoir in the conditional present in French = should (Le Conditionnel Présent)

Conjugate pouvoir in the conditional present in French = could (Le Conditionnel Présent)

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Examples and resources

Vous sauriez qui est responsable si vous étiez restés jusqu'au bout.You would know who's responsible if you'd stayed until the end.
Vous finiriez votre travail si vous n'étiez pas paresseux.You would finish your work if you weren't lazy.
Si nous gagnions au loto, nous achèterions une maison au bord de la mer.If we won the lottery, we would buy a house by the sea.
Est-ce que tu choisirais l'écharpe noire ou la bleue ?Would you choose the black scarf or the blue one?
Ils partiraient plus tard s'ils ne travaillaient pas demain.They would leave later if they didn't work tomorrow.
Nous aimerions étudier le français.We would like to study French.
Je danserais toute la nuit si je le pouvais !I would dance all night if I could!
Je répondrais si je connaissais la réponse.I would reply if I knew the answer.
Il prendrait l'avion s'il en avait les moyens.He would take the plane if he could afford it.
Je pense que tu vendrais facilement ta maison.I think that you'd sell your house easily.
Nous ne boirions que de l'eau si nous étions raisonnables.We would only drink water if we were reasonable.
Vous perdriez votre tête si elle n'était pas attachée à votre cou !You would lose your head if it wasn't attached to your neck!
Elles vivraient sous la mer si elles pouvaient être des sirènes.They would live under the sea if they could be mermaids.
Je voudrais une part de tarte aux pommes, s'il vous plaît.I would like a slice of apple tart, please.
Tu viendrais si ton ex n'était pas là ?Would you come if your ex wasn't there?
Mélanie recevrait ses amies à dîner si elle ne vivait pas dans un studio.Mélanie would have her friends over for dinner if she didn't live in a studio.
Ils verraient mieux s'il n'y avait pas autant de brouillard.They would see better if it wasn't so foggy.
Il le mangerait s'il avait encore faim.He would eat it if he was still hungry.
Conjugate most French verbs in the conditional present (Le Conditionnel Présent)
1 of 2
"Aimeriez-vous venir ce soir?" means:

Q&A Forum 15 questions, 30 answers

Roopa N.C1Kwiziq community member

Penser with conditionnel

Hi,

I had a doubt regarding this statement : 

Je pense que tu vendrais facilement ta maison.

Shouldn't statements with penser/croire etc only be followed by indicatif in the positive or subjonctif in the negative? In what cases can we use conditionnel? I would think this particular sentence should use vendre in the future tense. So:

Je pense que tu vendras facilement ta maison.

Please let me know.

Thanks and regards

Roopa

Asked 11 months ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Roopa, 

Just to add to what Jim said, you can say both but it depends on the situation. 

Je pense que tu vendras facilement ta maison I think you will sell your house easily 

( that house is up for sale )

Je pense que tu vendrais facilement ta maison = I think you would sell your house easily

( that house isn't for sale at the moment but should you decide to do so it would sell easily.

Bonne Continuation !

Jim J.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Bonjour Roopa,

I read the story as a comment as to what could easily happen that is that the property could easily sell or would easily sell.

The person commenting is not in a position to say what will happen only what could/would happen in a speculative sense.

Hope this helps.

Bonne journée

Jim

Roopa N. asked:

Penser with conditionnel

Hi,

I had a doubt regarding this statement : 

Je pense que tu vendrais facilement ta maison.

Shouldn't statements with penser/croire etc only be followed by indicatif in the positive or subjonctif in the negative? In what cases can we use conditionnel? I would think this particular sentence should use vendre in the future tense. So:

Je pense que tu vendras facilement ta maison.

Please let me know.

Thanks and regards

Roopa

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Scout E.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Factors that went into Lawless French classifying the Conditional as a mood in it's own right.

After all this time learning French l decide today to develop an English/French go-to chart for translation purposes. 

All of a sudden, the conditional tense sitting in the indicative mood in my little Bescherelle conjugaison book looks out of place. Why is it there, in a mood that expresses facts and certainties,  things that definitely happened?

 A little research in Bescherelle, on the web and here surface the fact that the Conditional in French is often classified as a mood unto itself (as in Lawless French) due to it's hypothetical expressions; and that more often, today, "pour des raisons de forme et de sens"(Bescherelle p.140), as a tense under the imperative. An example given for the latter  is that "aurait" , conditional present, equates the future present transposed into the past. So interesting! I had not seen this before. 

I wonder, what went into Lawless French's decision to classify the Conditional  as a mood apart instead of as under the Indicative mood? Either works , l am just curious.

Asked 1 year ago
LauraKwiziq EditorCorrect answer

Bonjour Scout - thanks for the great question.

 

In my mind, it's very simple. Tenses describe when something happens: past, recent past, present, etc.

The indicative mood talks about factual actions.

The conditional describes if something happens, hypothetical actions. I just don't see how that can possibly be considered part of the indicative.

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I can't speak for Laura and her site, but I, too, think of it as a mood. In particular, since the conditional comes in a present and past tense version.

Scout E. asked:

Factors that went into Lawless French classifying the Conditional as a mood in it's own right.

After all this time learning French l decide today to develop an English/French go-to chart for translation purposes. 

All of a sudden, the conditional tense sitting in the indicative mood in my little Bescherelle conjugaison book looks out of place. Why is it there, in a mood that expresses facts and certainties,  things that definitely happened?

 A little research in Bescherelle, on the web and here surface the fact that the Conditional in French is often classified as a mood unto itself (as in Lawless French) due to it's hypothetical expressions; and that more often, today, "pour des raisons de forme et de sens"(Bescherelle p.140), as a tense under the imperative. An example given for the latter  is that "aurait" , conditional present, equates the future present transposed into the past. So interesting! I had not seen this before. 

I wonder, what went into Lawless French's decision to classify the Conditional  as a mood apart instead of as under the Indicative mood? Either works , l am just curious.

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Bert G.C1Kwiziq community member

Why imparfait in the si clause?

In a sentence with a main clause and a si clause, the first uses the conditionell and the second the imparfait. For example, Je partirais si j'avais une voiture. Would it not make more sense to use the conditionelle for the si clause as well? After all, it also expresses a hypothetical situationWhy the different modes in the main clause and the si clause?

Asked 2 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Bert, 

I am afraid it is very wrong in French and often used as an example of bad French by comics :

Si j'aurais su, j'aurais pas v'nu = If I had known, I wouldn't have come

below spoken by a child in a well-known film -

https://jaimelesmots.com/ben-mon-vieux-si-jaurais-su-jaurais-pas-vnu/

As to why it's just the way it is, I believe it is the same in English, but am prepared to be corrected if I am wrong.

 

Bert G.C1Kwiziq community member

Thanks Cécile!

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Cécil is correct: conditional sentences are one of the few instances that follow the same pattern in English and French.

If I knew, I would tell you. -- Si je le savais, je te dirais.

Bert G. asked:

Why imparfait in the si clause?

In a sentence with a main clause and a si clause, the first uses the conditionell and the second the imparfait. For example, Je partirais si j'avais une voiture. Would it not make more sense to use the conditionelle for the si clause as well? After all, it also expresses a hypothetical situationWhy the different modes in the main clause and the si clause?

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Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

A very good revision

Thanks Aurelie. This is much easier to follow.

Asked 4 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Thank you for your kind comment Maarten, which I will pass on to Aurélie ...

Maarten K. asked:

A very good revision

Thanks Aurelie. This is much easier to follow.

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nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Words in conditional

Hi 

I came across these three sentences and I was wondering why I got them wrong?

The president is reportedly in Brazil today

Le président serait au Brasil aujourd'hui is the answer I'm confused as to why is reportedly is using serait?


The director will reportedly sign the contract le director signerait let contrat is the answer again why is will reportedly using signerait?


It would be prettier if there were more flowers

Ce serait s'il y avait plus de fleurs is the answer again here they used serait as would be prettier. Why is that?


Thanks for the help in advance

Nicole

Asked 4 years ago
Alan G.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Your first two examples are interesting. I hadn't heard of this before, but apparently it's the "conditionnel de rumeur" or "conditionnel journalistique". It's used to express unconfirmed information, so it could be translated as "reportedly". I suppose it's a bit like reported speech, e.g. "I was told that the president would be in Brazil today".

You can find some more explanation here:

https://www.intermarkls.com/single-post/2015/02/10/The-French-They-Never-Taught-You-7-The-Conditional-Doesnt-Always-Mean-Would

But your last example is just the normal use of the conditional. The English "would be prettier" is translated as "serait plus joli". (You missed out "plus joli", but I guess that was just a typo). "Serait" is the conditional form of the verb "être".

 

nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thank you for your help

nicole r. asked:

Words in conditional

Hi 

I came across these three sentences and I was wondering why I got them wrong?

The president is reportedly in Brazil today

Le président serait au Brasil aujourd'hui is the answer I'm confused as to why is reportedly is using serait?


The director will reportedly sign the contract le director signerait let contrat is the answer again why is will reportedly using signerait?


It would be prettier if there were more flowers

Ce serait s'il y avait plus de fleurs is the answer again here they used serait as would be prettier. Why is that?


Thanks for the help in advance

Nicole

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nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Inversion in conditional

Hi

I have a question I'm learning about the inversion in the conditional present and I was wondering about these two sentences?

Why do you not conjugate passer? 

(Could we) passer Chez vous après le spectacle? Pourrions- nous is the answer


But with this sentence

(Would he) signer cette pétition? Signerait- il would be the answer 

I'm very confused and help would be greatly appreciated


Thanks

Nicole

Asked 4 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Nicole,

I think I can see your problem here and it is not the inversion of subject and verb.

Could = verb pouvoir in the conditional 

Would = any verb in the conditional 

Pourriez-vous me passer le sel SVP ? = Could you pass me the salt, please

Me passeriez-vous le sel SVP ? Would you pass me the salt, please?

Pourrais-tu me donner l'adresse de Marie ? Could you give Marie's address?

Me donnerais-tu l'adresse de Marie ? Would you give me Marie's address? 

Hope this helps!

 

nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Oh my God Cecile thank you so much it definitely explains a lot more now thank you again!!

nicole r. asked:

Inversion in conditional

Hi

I have a question I'm learning about the inversion in the conditional present and I was wondering about these two sentences?

Why do you not conjugate passer? 

(Could we) passer Chez vous après le spectacle? Pourrions- nous is the answer


But with this sentence

(Would he) signer cette pétition? Signerait- il would be the answer 

I'm very confused and help would be greatly appreciated


Thanks

Nicole

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Robert R.C1Kwiziq community member

Why does this lesson even talk about irregular verbs, since the title is "regular verbs"?

This is the first lesson I've run across that is confusing, so that's pretty darn good!  There are no examples of third person plural except the irregular one, so a novice has no idea what the third person plural rule is for regular verbs.  Please update so make it clear that aient is indeed the ending for regular as well as irregular verbs (maybe by using a regular verb as the example since this page is supposed to be about regular verbs).  Thanks.

Asked 4 years ago
AurélieKwiziq Head of French, Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Bonjour Robert !

Thank you very much for pointing that lesson to us. Indeed, it needed some love and care, to make it clearer :) Thanks to you, it's now done!
I hope it's helpful :)

Merci encore et bonne journée !

Robert R. asked:

Why does this lesson even talk about irregular verbs, since the title is "regular verbs"?

This is the first lesson I've run across that is confusing, so that's pretty darn good!  There are no examples of third person plural except the irregular one, so a novice has no idea what the third person plural rule is for regular verbs.  Please update so make it clear that aient is indeed the ending for regular as well as irregular verbs (maybe by using a regular verb as the example since this page is supposed to be about regular verbs).  Thanks.

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Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Conjugate regular verbs in Le Conditionnel

Are there verbs that don't follow the structured outline noted here - 'stem' from future simple conjugation, 'endings' from past imperfect conjugation? I think that I have not yet (early days) come across a verb that does not conjugate in the conditional in accordance with these simple 'rules' and having this clarified could/should/would make it much easier to remember. Even for irregular verbs it seems to me that if you know the imparfait and the future simple (both of which are also pretty consistent with 'endings' but not the stems) you have all you need to know the conditional. 

Asked 4 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi,

I am not sure I fully understand your query Maarten, but most irregular verbs , avoir, être, aller, faire, savoir, pouvoir , venir, mettre etc. will be irregular in most tenses and moods.

The important thing about learning how to form the conditional is to remember how to form the future and as it is very similar in that it starts with the stem taken from the infinitive (that is why you have so many -r sounds) in both tenses and just add the relevant endings.

You have to learn the irregular verbs separately.

Also remember -  

Would = any verb in the conditional -------> j'achèterais , je prendrais, je serais, j'aurais, etc..

Should = Devoir in the conditional ----> Je devrais

Could = Pouvoir in the conditional ----> je pourrais

Hope this helps!

 

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Did you really believe that there wouldn't be exceptions to this rule in French? Well, one can dream :)

There are, of course, irregular verbs that behave, well, irregularly in the subjunctive:

(Infinitive) -- (Subjunctive) -- (Imparfait) -- (Futur simple)
pouvoir -- je puisse -- je pouvais -- je pourrai
savoir -- je sache -- je savais -- je saurai
faire -- je fasse -- je faisais -- je ferais

.... and many more.

Alan G.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

As far as I know, there are no exceptions. (@Chris - the conditional, not the subjunctive.)

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Thanks for the reply Chris. The joys of subjunctives are yet to confront me. I am referring only to the conditional present, as the lesson covers. My main query is why the lesson heading is for regular verbs, but then 'aller' is introduced? That aside, after checking the examples you gave, I still see only 2 rules for conjugating the conditional present - regular verbs use infinitive + imparfait form endings, while irregular verbs use the irregular stem from future, with the imparfait endings. If that is correct, knowing the present conditional conjugations is easier, as it relies on previous knowledge, rather than being a new set of verbs 'to learn'. 

Alan G.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi Cécile, 

The point is that having learnt the future tense of the irregular verbs, you already know how to form the conditional, because they are irregular in the same way. The conditional can always be formed from the future stem, whether it is regular or not.

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Thanks everyone. As Alan notes, the point that while they are irregular, they are still predictable means that the learning of imparfait/future/conditional forms is not the learning of 3 sets of verbs with fully separate rules, but rather they are overlapping, and that makes it easier to learn. If I got to conditional, and read that I already knew how to conjugate this because I had previously learnt imparfait and future, and here is the simple pattern all follow (at least it still seems true to me, and Alan(?)), my spirits would definitely rise. (Of course, it works once you know any 2 of the three, but the order here is the way the lessons took me through them).

Maarten K. asked:

Conjugate regular verbs in Le Conditionnel

Are there verbs that don't follow the structured outline noted here - 'stem' from future simple conjugation, 'endings' from past imperfect conjugation? I think that I have not yet (early days) come across a verb that does not conjugate in the conditional in accordance with these simple 'rules' and having this clarified could/should/would make it much easier to remember. Even for irregular verbs it seems to me that if you know the imparfait and the future simple (both of which are also pretty consistent with 'endings' but not the stems) you have all you need to know the conditional. 

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Diane d.C1Kwiziq community member

je voudrais v j'aimerais. Aren't these interchangeable?

In a recent test, the answer required was "mes parent aimeraient ce qu'on se marie" and the response "'voudraient'' was not accepted. Aren't either regularly used to mean "'would like?" I think technically the former is would like and the latter is would want, but that seems pretty subtle. For example, in ordering food "'Je voudrais avoir  . . . .''

Asked 5 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Yes, they largely mean the same thing. It's a question of how strictly the test is graded.

Diane d. asked:

je voudrais v j'aimerais. Aren't these interchangeable?

In a recent test, the answer required was "mes parent aimeraient ce qu'on se marie" and the response "'voudraient'' was not accepted. Aren't either regularly used to mean "'would like?" I think technically the former is would like and the latter is would want, but that seems pretty subtle. For example, in ordering food "'Je voudrais avoir  . . . .''

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Marnie C.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

question from quiz: “ commencerions” (out of context!)

correct answer is:

“Nous commencerions à cinq heures si nos patrons nous laissait faire”.  

Pourquoi pas:  “si nos patrons nous laissait LE faire”.?

Asked 6 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Marnie,

You can say both :

"...si nos patrons nous laissaient faire" "...if our bosses allowed us" 

"...si nos patrons nous laissaient le faire "...if our bosses allowed us to do it"

Not much difference in meaning...

Marnie C. asked:

question from quiz: “ commencerions” (out of context!)

correct answer is:

“Nous commencerions à cinq heures si nos patrons nous laissait faire”.  

Pourquoi pas:  “si nos patrons nous laissait LE faire”.?

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Stewart H.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

J'achèterais v J'achèterai

I notice that Madelein has asked the exactly same question that I was going to ask. However, I'm still confused over this ... so if "I would buy a house" is translated as "J'achèterai une maison" how would you then translate "I will buy a house"

Asked 6 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Stewart H. asked:

J'achèterais v J'achèterai

I notice that Madelein has asked the exactly same question that I was going to ask. However, I'm still confused over this ... so if "I would buy a house" is translated as "J'achèterai une maison" how would you then translate "I will buy a house"

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Madeleine G.C1Kwiziq community member

Answer should be in conditional tense?

In the excersise 'If I could start over' I translated the phrase 'I would buy a house in the country' as 'J'acheterais une maison dans la campagne' and I got the following correction from Kwizbot: 'J'achèterai une maison à la campagne,' I know I didn't get the accent or preposition right, but why is the Kwizbot answer giving the verb in future tense instead of in the present conditional?

Asked 6 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Madeleine G.C1Kwiziq community member

Thank you

Madeleine G. asked:

Answer should be in conditional tense?

In the excersise 'If I could start over' I translated the phrase 'I would buy a house in the country' as 'J'acheterais une maison dans la campagne' and I got the following correction from Kwizbot: 'J'achèterai une maison à la campagne,' I know I didn't get the accent or preposition right, but why is the Kwizbot answer giving the verb in future tense instead of in the present conditional?

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Michael R.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Might be

I have seen might be + verb (e.g.) eating as either il pourrait manger or il mangerait. Are they both correct.
Asked 6 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Michael,

In French to convey the possibility of something happening can be translated in many different ways, often very simply by adding peut-être

For Present possibility: use the verb in the present + peut-être 

Vous avez peut-être raison = you might be right

Je vais peut-être venir avec vous = I might come with you

For future possibility: use the verb in the future + peut-être

Il va peut-être  se rappeler plus tard = He might remember later

Il regrettera peut-être sa décision He might regret his decision

For past possibilities: use the verb in a past tense + peut-être

Nous n'avons peut-être pas tout comprisWe might not have understood everything.

C'était peut-être une erreur = It might have been a mistake

When might is used to convey a very polite request: use the conditional of 'pouvoir':

Pourrais-je faire une demande? = Might I make a request?

Also might (meaning could) for suggestions, using the conditional.

Vous pourriez essayer le restaurant en haut de la rueyou might try the restaurant up the road

Je pensais que nous pourrions y aller ensembleI thought we might go there together

To convey the idea of should have : using the conditional past.

J'aurais dû m'en douter = I might have known

Hope this helps!

 

CécileKwiziq Native French Teacher

Hi Michael,

I think you are thinking of 'Il se pourrait que '+ subjunctive 'which translates as may or might  (be that).

e.g.

Il se pourrait que je vienne avec vous. (It is possible I may come with you)

Il se pourrait que vous deviez prendre ce médicament jusqu'à la fin de vos jours. (You may have to take this medicine till the end of your life.)

Hope this helps!

 

Michael R.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Thanks Cécile, Your reply is very helpful , but I was also interested in a more general context of how 'might' or 'might be' can be translated. 
Michael R. asked:

Might be

I have seen might be + verb (e.g.) eating as either il pourrait manger or il mangerait. Are they both correct.

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Gio P.A2Kwiziq community member

In the test one of the questions is Je ________ si j'avais une voiture.

The answer to the question is Je partirais si j'avais une voiture.

However, my question is about "j'avais une voiture."  Why is it j'avais (imparfait) and not j'ai une voiture, considering that its in the present?  Is this related to the subjunctif? Cause I have a feeling this has to do with the subjunctif :D

Asked 6 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

HI Gio,

even though the subjunctive rears its head in many unsuspected places, he is not to blame for this one.

The example you quote is a "si"-sentence introducing a possibility. It dictates the use of very specific times and modi: the conditional in the main clause and the imperfect in the si-clause.

Je partirais si j'avais une voiture. -- I would leave if I had a car.

You see the same kind of construction in the English translation: a conditional (would leave) in the main clause and the imperfect (had) in the main clause. The use of the imperfect has nothing to do with the action being set in the past. It is used here -- in conjunction with the conditional -- to express a possibility.

-- Chris (not a native speaker).

Gio P. asked:

In the test one of the questions is Je ________ si j'avais une voiture.

The answer to the question is Je partirais si j'avais une voiture.

However, my question is about "j'avais une voiture."  Why is it j'avais (imparfait) and not j'ai une voiture, considering that its in the present?  Is this related to the subjunctif? Cause I have a feeling this has to do with the subjunctif :D

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Ha W.C1Kwiziq community member

Passé Simple + Conditionnel Présent

In the Writing Challenge 26 level C1, the sentence "... Pompidou décida de faire construire ... un centre ... qui PERMETTRAIT ..." uses Conditionnel Présent in the subordinate clause even though the decision was made in the past (Passé Simple). Is it incorrect to use Conditionnel Passé?
Asked 8 years ago
AurélieKwiziq Head of French, Native French TeacherCorrect answer
Bonjour Ha !

What an interesting question!
In this case, Le Conditionnel Présent is used as "the past of the future", to express an action in the past, BUT that occurred AFTER the action expressed in Le Passé Simple (décida).
Here Pompidou decided to build the centre BEFORE this centre would allow to combine all these other departments.
Le Conditionnel Passé here would make it an unrealised hypothesis ("qui aurait permis" = which would have allowed...), so it couldn't work here.

I hope that's helpful!
Ha W.C1Kwiziq community member
Aurélie, thanks for responding to my question. So in general, could we use the present conditional conjugation of a verb to express a wish in the past for a future that actually did become a reality later on?
Ha W. asked:

Passé Simple + Conditionnel Présent

In the Writing Challenge 26 level C1, the sentence "... Pompidou décida de faire construire ... un centre ... qui PERMETTRAIT ..." uses Conditionnel Présent in the subordinate clause even though the decision was made in the past (Passé Simple). Is it incorrect to use Conditionnel Passé?

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