The verb être in Conditionnel Présent uses the same irregular stem as in Futur Simple: ser-
Have a look at these sentences:
Here's how to form the Conditionnel Présent of être:
The je form has the same pronunciation as in Futur Simple. Look for the context : I will be vs I would be!
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
On serait heureux d'aider.
We would be happy to help.
Si je pouvais, je serais astronaute.
If I could, I would be an astronaut.
Vous seriez surpris!
You would be surprised!
Ils seraient tellement déçus.
They would be so disappointed.
Nous serions tellement heureux de vous voir!
We would be so happy to see you!
Serais-tu intéressé?
Would you be interested?
Il serait tellement en colère.
He would be so angry.
Q&A
Chris
Kwiziq community member
15/10/18
What's your question?
Chris
Kwiziq community member
15/10/18
What's your question?
Chris
Kwiziq community member
16/10/18
In case you want to practice your French with a native speaker, check out this website:
https://www.mylanguageexchange.com/
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
2/12/16
Bonjour Barbara !
The first two sentences are perfectly correct :)
However, to ask if someone would be happy to help, although your version is grammatically correct, the exact equivalent wouldn't be colloquial in French.
Instead, we'd use "bien vouloir + infinitif", as such:
"Est-ce qu'il voudrait bien [m'/t'/l'/nous/vous/les] aider ?"
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
Alex
Kwiziq community member
12 April 2019
1 reply
pronunciation tip
the pronunciation tip at the end of this page says that -ais and -ai are pronounced the same. I found a comment by a duolingo mod linking to two pages that says otherwise:
http://bernardcousin.over-blog.com/pages/DE_LIMPORTANCE_DE_BIEN_PRONONCER-8743192.html
https://www.lalanguefrancaise.com/5-astuces-pour-ne-plus-confondre-le-conditionnel-et-le-futur
On forvo it does indeed sound like there is a subtle difference between aimerai and aimerais. é vs è. I hear the difference best when listening to other -ais words on forvo such as vais, sais, etc. It is subtle, but can someone else confirm that there is indeed an actual difference that contradicts the tip on this page?
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
13 April 2019
13/04/19
Hi Alex,
I can confirm that there is no difference in pronunciation between -
‘Je pourrai’ (future) and ‘Je pourrais’ (conditional)
You are taught this in French schools and that the only way you can distinguish the two different tenses is by changing the form to may be ‘nous’ or by the context.