Grammar / B1 : Intermediate / The present conditional
The present conditional
Hypothesis, wish, advice: Si j'avais le temps, je...
Beyond politeness : the full conditional
At A2 level, the conditional was introduced through its most visible everyday use: softening requests. Je voudrais, pourriez-vous, il faudrait (the polite conditional). At B1, the full picture emerges. The conditional present covers four main areas: politeness, hypothetical situations (the most important B1 use), unverified information in reported speech, and the future as seen from a past perspective.
The conditional is often described as the "would" tense. It does not describe what is or will be: it describes what would happen under certain conditions, or what is being presented as uncertain or unconfirmed.
1. Formation
The conditional is formed from the same stem as the futur simple (infinitive for regular verbs, irregular stems for irregular verbs), with the endings of the imparfait: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
Stem (= futur simple stem) + imparfait endings
Endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient
| Subject | Ending | parler | finir | vendre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je / j' | -ais | parlerais | finirais | vendrais |
| tu | -ais | parlerais | finirais | vendrais |
| il / elle / on | -ait | parlerait | finirait | vendrait |
| nous | -ions | parlerions | finirions | vendrions |
| vous | -iez | parleriez | finiriez | vendriez |
| ils / elles | -aient | parleraient | finiraient | vendraient |
2. Irregular stems
The irregular stems are identical to those of the futur simple. If you know the futur simple irregular stems, you already know the conditional stems.
| Verb | Stem | je | il / elle | ils / elles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aller | ir- | j'irais | il irait | ils iraient |
| avoir | aur- | j'aurais | il aurait | ils auraient |
| être | ser- | je serais | il serait | ils seraient |
| faire | fer- | je ferais | il ferait | ils feraient |
| venir | viendr- | je viendrais | il viendrait | ils viendraient |
| voir | verr- | je verrais | il verrait | ils verraient |
| vouloir | voudr- | je voudrais | il voudrait | ils voudraient |
| pouvoir | pourr- | je pourrais | il pourrait | ils pourraient |
| savoir | saur- | je saurais | il saurait | ils sauraient |
| devoir | devr- | je devrais | il devrait | ils devraient |
| recevoir | recevr- | je recevrais | il recevrait | ils recevraient |
| envoyer | enverr- | j'enverrais | il enverrait | ils enverraient |
| falloir (impersonal) | faudr- | - | il faudrait | - |
| pleuvoir (impersonal) | pleuvr- | - | il pleuvrait | - |
3. Use 1 : politeness (A2 review)
The most everyday use of the conditional: softening a request or expressing a wish. This makes a demand sound like a preference rather than an order. The key verbs were covered at A2; they are reinforced here.
Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a coffee, please.)
Pourriez-vous répéter ? (Could you repeat that?)
J'aimerais changer de chambre. (I would like to change rooms.)
Il faudrait partir plus tôt. (We should leave earlier.)
Ce serait bien de se retrouver. (It would be nice to meet up.)
4. Use 2 (hypothetical: si + imparfait)
This is the central B1 use of the conditional. It expresses what would happen if something were the case (a situation that is imaginary, unlikely, or contrary to reality). The structure is always the same: the si clause uses the imparfait, and the main clause uses the conditionnel présent.
Si + imparfait → conditionnel présent
(Hypothetical / unlikely / contrary to fact)
| Si clause (imparfait) | Main clause (conditionnel) | English |
|---|---|---|
| Si j'avais de l'argent, | je voyagerais. | If I had money, I would travel. |
| Si elle était là, | elle comprendrait. | If she were here, she would understand. |
| Si nous pouvions partir, | nous irions au Japon. | If we could leave, we would go to Japan. |
| Si tu travaillais plus, | tu réussirais. | If you worked more, you would succeed. |
| Si on avait le temps, | on ferait du sport. | If we had time, we would do sport. |
⚠ The si clause is ALWAYS in the imparfait (never in the conditionnel).
❌ Si j'aurais de l'argent, je voyagerais.
✓ Si j'avais de l'argent, je voyagerais.
The two clauses can appear in either order; the si clause can come first or second.
Je voyagerais si j'avais de l'argent. (same meaning, si clause second)
Type 1 vs Type 2 : the full picture
At A2, only the type 1 conditional (possible/likely) was covered. At B1, both types are used, and the contrast is important.
| Type 1 (possible / likely) | Type 2 (hypothetical / unlikely) | |
|---|---|---|
| Si clause | présent | imparfait |
| Main clause | futur simple | conditionnel présent |
| Meaning | If this happens (and it might), then... | If this were the case (but it probably isn't), then... |
| Example | Si tu travailles, tu réussiras. (If you work, you will succeed.) | Si tu travaillais, tu réussirais. (If you worked, you would succeed.) |
| Example | S'il fait beau, on sortira. (If the weather is nice, we'll go out.) | S'il faisait beau, on sortirait. (If the weather were nice, we'd go out.) |
5. Use 3 : unverified information
In French journalism and everyday speech, the conditional is used to report information that the speaker cannot confirm (a rumour, a claim made by someone else, or news that has not been verified). This is called the conditionnel journalistique.
In English, this is usually conveyed by phrases like "reportedly", "allegedly", "is said to", or "according to sources". In French, the conditional alone carries this meaning.
Selon les médias, le président démissionnerait demain. (According to the media, the president is reportedly resigning tomorrow.)
Il y aurait plusieurs victimes. (There are said to be several victims.)
Le gouvernement envisagerait des réformes importantes. (The government is reportedly considering major reforms.)
D'après nos sources, l'entreprise licencierait deux cents personnes. (According to our sources, the company is allegedly planning to lay off two hundred people.)
💡 This use appears constantly in news headlines, radio bulletins, and social media. The conditional signals: "I am reporting this, but I cannot vouch for its accuracy." It is a formal marker of journalistic caution.
6. Use 4 : the future in the past
When a main verb is in a past tense and refers to a future event, the futur simple is replaced by the conditional. This is called the futur du passé (future in the past). It expresses what was expected to happen from the perspective of a past moment.
| Present perspective (futur simple) | Past perspective (conditionnel) |
|---|---|
| Il dit qu'il viendra. (He says he will come.) | Il a dit qu'il viendrait. (He said he would come.) |
| Elle pense qu'il réussira. (She thinks he will succeed.) | Elle pensait qu'il réussirait. (She thought he would succeed.) |
| Je sais qu'il partira. (I know he will leave.) | Je savais qu'il partirait. (I knew he would leave.) |
| Nous espérons que ça marchera. (We hope it will work.) | Nous espérions que ça marcherait. (We hoped it would work.) |
Il m'a promis qu'il appellerait dès son arrivée. (He promised me he would call as soon as he arrived.)
On savait que ce serait difficile. (We knew it would be difficult.)
Elle avait annoncé qu'elle serait là à 8h. (She had announced she would be there at 8.)
7. Use 5 : advice, suggestions, and regret
Advice
The conditional of devoir and falloir is the standard way to give advice without sounding prescriptive.
Tu devrais te reposer davantage. (You should rest more.)
Vous devriez appeler avant de passer. (You should call before coming over.)
Il faudrait qu'on prenne une décision. (We should make a decision.)
À ta place, je... : the classic advice formula
À ta place, je partirais tout de suite. (If I were you, I would leave right away.)
À votre place, je ne dirais rien. (If I were you, I would say nothing.)
À sa place, j'accepterais. (If I were in his/her position, I would accept.)
Wishes and imagination
J'aimerais vivre à Paris. (I would love to live in Paris.)
On voudrait tellement tout recommencer. (We would love to start everything over.)
Ce serait magnifique. (It would be wonderful.)
8. Key points
✓ Formation: futur simple stem + imparfait endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient)
✓ Irregular stems (same as futur simple): ir- (aller), ser- (être), aur- (avoir), fer- (faire), viendr- (venir), verr- (voir), pourr- (pouvoir), voudr- (vouloir)
✓ Politeness: je voudrais, pourriez-vous, il faudrait, ce serait
✓ Hypothetical: si + imparfait → conditionnel présent (Type 2)
✓ The si clause is ALWAYS in the imparfait (never in the conditionnel)
✓ Type 1 (si + présent → futur simple) = possible / Type 2 (si + imparfait → conditionnel) = hypothetical
✓ Journalistic use: conditional signals unverified/reported information
✓ Future in the past: main verb in past tense → futur simple becomes conditionnel
✓ Advice: tu devrais, vous devriez, à ta place je...