The Conditional Tense

1. The Conditional Tense Using one of the easiest tenses to siphon points from on any free response question in French

2. In English • Usually formed with the syntax if p, then q, where p is in the imperfect and q is in the conditional mood. • Example: If I weren’t doing this PowerPoint, I would be in bed right now. • Any instance in which the auxiliary verb “would” is included uses the conditional mood

3. In French • Similar if p, then q syntax known as a “si” clause where “si” functions as “if” • Example: Si je ne faisais pas ce PowerPoint, je me coucheraismaintenant. • Perfect translation between English and French, where all conditional mood verbs are the same as saying “would + verb” in English. • Example: Il feraitses devoirs s’ilavait le temps translates literally to “He would do his homework if he had the time.” Very simple.

4. Forming Conditional Stems • For –er and –ir verbs: • Use the infinitive form. That’s all.… No, seriously. That’s it. • For –re verbs: • Just drop the e and use that.

5. Endings • Take the stem formed from the infinitive or otherwise (see irregular conditional stems ahead) • Add the ending (see next slide) based on subject

6. Endings, cont’d.

7. Endings, cont’d. • Examples: • To say “I would have:” • The verb is “avoir” • Thus, the stem is “aur-” • Add the ending for “je” (-ais) to the stem:aurais • End product: J’aurais

8. Some Irregular Conditional Stems • Aller: ir- • Avoir : aur- • Courrir : courr- • Devoir: devr- • Envoyer: enverr- • Être: ser- • Faire: fer- • Falloir: faudr- • Pouvoir: pourr- • Recevoir: recevr- • Savoir: saur- • Venir: veindr- • Voir: verr- • Vouloir: voudr-

9. Endings, cont’d • Hopefully you noticed, but the endings are exactly the same as those for the imperfect. … BOOM! This should have gotten even easier.