In English it's 'apartment' ie. one 'p' only.
Here's a hypothetical situation in English:
If we won the lottery, we would buy a house.
-> Here you can see that if is followed by a verb in the Simple Past (won), while the second clause uses the Conditional Present (would buy).
Now look at the French:
Si on gagnait au loto, on achèterait une maison.
-> Here you see that in French, si is followed by a verb in L'Imparfait (gagnait), while the second clause uses Le Conditionnel Présent (achèterait).
Here are more examples:
Si on gagnait au loto, on achèterait une maison.
If we won the lottery, we would buy a house.
Si tu venais avec moi, tu ne le regretterais pas.
If you came with me, you wouldn't regret it.
Je ne saurais pas quoi faire si j'étais toi.
I wouldn't know what to do if I were you.
Si j'étais riche, j'achèterais un appartement à Paris.
If I were rich, I would buy an apartment in Paris.
Note that to express hypotheses in French, you'll use L'Imparfait after si, and Le Conditionnel Présent in the second part of the sentence.
ATTENTION:
You can never use Le Passé Composé nor other past tenses in this context.
See other uses of L'Imparfait:
Expressing continuing action in L'Imparfait (imperfect tense)
Expressing habits or repeated actions in L'Imparfait (imperfect tense)
And to see how to conjugate in L'Imparfait:
Conjugate regular verbs in L'Imparfait (imperfect tense) and Conjugate être in L'Imparfait (imperfect tense)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Si tu faisais tes devoirs le vendredi, tu serais libre le reste du weekend.
If you did your homework on Fridays, you would be free the rest of the weekend.
Je ne saurais pas quoi faire si j'étais toi.
I wouldn't know what to do if I were you.
Si j'étais riche, j'achèterais un appartement à Paris.
If I were rich, I would buy an apartment in Paris.
Si tu venais avec moi, tu ne le regretterais pas.
If you came with me, you wouldn't regret it.
Si on gagnait au loto, on achèterait une maison.
If we won the lottery, we would buy a house.
S'ils économisaient plus, ils pourraient se permettre des vacances.
If they saved more, they could afford holidays.
Q&A Forum 9 questions, 16 answers
Thanks for pointing this typo out John, it has been corrected.
John asked:View original
English spelling in the fourth example
In English it's 'apartment' ie. one 'p' only.
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Why isn't "si" phrase in conditional like example "conditionnel after si, impaarfait in other phrase? Deborah
Asked 7 months ago
Hi Deborah,
If I have understood your question correctly it is the same as in English-
If I did this , I would do that ....
Hope this helps!
Deborah asked:View original
Why isn't "si" phrase in conditional like example "conditionnel after si, impaarfait in other phrase? Deborah
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CécileKwiziq language super star
Hi Angela,
As this is a technical and not a language question can you re-post on the Help and support section where someone might be able to answer you?
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Si clause
The phrase “if you could run” uses L’imparfait. But the phrase “if you run” uses the present tense. Could you explain this difference to me? Thanks.
Asked 11 months ago
ChrisCorrect answer
So "if I could run" is a hypothetical case (#2). Therefore:
Si je pouvais courir.
The other two cases are:
Si je peux courir. -- If I can run
Si j'avais pu courir. -- If I could have run (If I had been able to run).
There are three levels of "probability" with si-clauses:
If I run. -- Si je cours. (Possible)
If I ran. -- Si je courais. (Hypothetical)
If I had run. -- Si j'avais couru. (Impossible, it already happened.)
This is pretty much parallel what you would use in English.
Judy asked:View original
Si clause
The phrase “if you could run” uses L’imparfait. But the phrase “if you run” uses the present tense. Could you explain this difference to me? Thanks.
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Other types of "Si" clauses
I'm looking for further information on the other types of "Si" clauses. L'imparfait+conditionnel is just one type. What about "Si" clauses that are placed in the past--e.g. "If you had studied harder, you would have passed the test". Another type: "If you're able, come visit me."
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Gregory,
The lesson is still under construction, so I will try and explain:
There are 3 types -
1. To express a likely situation using the present ------future/imperative
Si tu cours, tu auras ton train = If you run, you'll catch your train
Si tu peux, va chercher les enfants à l'école =If you can, go and fetch the children at school
2. To express an unlikely situation using the imperfect ------conditional present
Si tu lui parlais gentiment, il te répondrait = If you spoke nicely to him, he would answer you
Si tu travaillais à l'école, tu réussirais = I you worked at school, you'd succeed
3. To express an impossible situation (as in the past) using the PluPerfect -----Conditional past
Si tu lui avais répondu gentiment, il t'aurait répondu = If you had spoken to him nicely, he would have answered you
Si vous leur aviez donné de meilleures instructions ils ne se seraient pas perdus = If you'd given them better instructions, they wouldn't have got lost
Hope this helpsThanks! This is very helpful. Good to know the lesson is coming along...I thought I’d missed something somewhere.
Gregory asked:View original
Other types of "Si" clauses
I'm looking for further information on the other types of "Si" clauses. L'imparfait+conditionnel is just one type. What about "Si" clauses that are placed in the past--e.g. "If you had studied harder, you would have passed the test". Another type: "If you're able, come visit me."
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Could be clearer?
The lesson doesn't highlight the point that you can swap clauses around - so e.g. start with conditional, then go to imperfect or v.v. Whichever way though, what changes is the position of 'si' and hence if you are using the imperfect as first or second verb.
Asked 1 year ago
The Si-clause always uses the imperfect whereas the conditional is used only in the main clause. If you switch the order of clauses, naturally, the verb forms switch places too, so that the imperfect remakns with the Si-clause and the conditional with the main clause.
-- Chris.
Hi David, I see what you mean. There is only one example which has the si-clause come second. Maybe a couple more examples and a sentence alerting the reader to this fact would help.
-- Chris.
David asked:View original
Could be clearer?
The lesson doesn't highlight the point that you can swap clauses around - so e.g. start with conditional, then go to imperfect or v.v. Whichever way though, what changes is the position of 'si' and hence if you are using the imperfect as first or second verb.
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Link to a lesson on the conditional présent.
Conditional présent looks like infinitive + endings for the imperfect, but there seem to be exceptions - e.g. être.
Asked 1 year ago
ChrisCorrect answer
Hi Winfred,
here is the link to one of the conditional-lessons in the library. I think it serves as a good starting point to explore irregular verbs as well.
Greetings, -- Chris.
Winifred asked:View original
Link to a lesson on the conditional présent.
Conditional présent looks like infinitive + endings for the imperfect, but there seem to be exceptions - e.g. être.
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LauraKwiziq language super star
Bonjour Barbara,
Did you mean to say confusing? Please let us know what you're having trouble with and we'll do our best to help.
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What is venait?
Ce serait génial si Joseph venait avec nous is marked as the correct answer - is venait the conditionnel présent for venir? Can you guide me to the lesson showing conditionnel présent conjugation for venir pls?
Asked 2 years ago
GruffKwiziq language super star
Hi Meghna The conjugation table for venir is here: https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/verbs/venir">https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/verbs/venir">https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/verbs/venir">https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/verbs/venir
Venait is l'imparfait not conditionnel .
Hope that helps!
Venait is l'imparfait not conditionnel .
Hope that helps!
Thank you Gruff for taking the time to respond.
I figured it out now. I was conditioned to expect imparfait in the first part and conditionnel in second, hence my confusion.
Realized this one had the ´Si in second part of sentence and it became crystal clear.
Meghna asked:View original
What is venait?
Ce serait génial si Joseph venait avec nous is marked as the correct answer - is venait the conditionnel présent for venir? Can you guide me to the lesson showing conditionnel présent conjugation for venir pls?
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