The French Conditionnel Présent: Master the “Would” Tense
6 min read
If the présent is about reality and the futur simple is about certainty, the conditionnel présent is the tense of politeness, hypotheses, and **“what if.”
In real life, you use it at the boulangerie (Je voudrais deux croissants), at the hotel desk (J’aimerais une chambre avec vue), and when you soften a refusal (Je ne pourrais pas venir ce soir). It is also the standard way to express “would + verb” in si sentences about unreal situations. For stem + ending mechanics, it pairs naturally with our futur simple guide and imparfait guide.
- The hybrid rule: futur simple stem + imparfait endings (the same six endings** on every verb).
- How -er, -ir, and -re verbs build the stem—especially the -re step (vendre → vendr-). See **verb groups if the three shapes still feel abstract.
- Three high-ROI uses: politeness, hypotheticals with si + imparfait, and advice with devoir.
- The -ai (futur) vs -ais (conditionnel) trap—including je pourrai vs je pourrais**.
The magic formula
French teachers often call the conditional a “hybrid tense”: it uses the same stem as the **futur simple and the same endings as the imparfait**.
The formula: stem (futur) + ending (imparfait) = conditionnel présent
Concrete walkthrough: parler → stem parler- + -ais → je parlerais (I would speak). Choisir → je choisirais. Vendre → drop the final -e → vendr- → je vendrais.
If those two tenses are already on your map, you are recycling pieces—not memorizing a third system from zero. Irregular verbs use the same rebel stems as in the futur (ser-, aur-, **fer-…).
- Regular -re verbs: drop the final -e of the infinitive before adding endings (prendre → prendr- → je prendrais**).
The endings (the imparfait echo)
The six endings are fixed for -er, -ir, and **-re: they match the imparfait exactly—same letters, same persons.
Pronunciation: in many accents, -ais, -ait, and -aient sound alike; spelling and context** (polite request vs narrative past) do the disambiguation work.
| Subject | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Je | -ais | Je manger**ais |
| Tu** | -ais | Tu manger**ais |
| Il / elle / on** | **-ait | Il mangerait |
| Nous** | -ions | Nous manger**ions |
| Vous** | -iez | Vous manger**iez |
| Ils / elles** | -aient | Ils manger**aient |
The stem: regular verbs and rebel stems
Regular verbs: stem = infinitive, except -re verbs lose the final -e before endings. Irregular verbs: one stem to learn for both futur and conditional—our futur simple article lists more -oir and -enir families.
Below are verbs you will use in travel, service French, and conversation**.
| Verb | Stem | Example (je) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Être | ser- | Je serais | I would be |
| Avoir | aur- | J'aurais | I would have |
| Aller | ir- | J'irais | I would go |
| Faire | fer- | Je ferais | I would do / make |
| Pouvoir | pourr- | Je pourrais | I could / would be able to |
| Vouloir | voudr- | Je voudrais | I would like / want |
| Devoir | devr- | Je devrais | I should / ought to |
| Savoir | saur- | Je saurais | I would know how |
Practice French conjugation for free in the Croissant Verbs app
Quizzes and spaced repetition for every tense, for free on your phone—plus short grammar guides on our Learn hub.
When to use the conditionnel
The **conditionnel présent is not only for daydreams. In spoken French, it shows up in three situations you can rehearse like scripts:
A. Politeness (la politesse)
Je veux and Je peux are fine grammatically but can feel blunt. The conditional softens the same idea into a request or preference—essential at the counter, on the phone, and in customer-service situations. For register and typical slip-ups, see common conjugation mistakes.
- Je voudrais un café et un verre d’eau, s’il vous plaît. (Bar / restaurant.)
- J’aimerais réserver une table pour deux personnes, ce soir à 20 h. (Phone call.)
- Pourriez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ? (Pouvoir** in the conditional = “could you…?”)
- Je préférerais un siège côté fenêtre. (Train / plane / polite preference.)
B. Hypotheticals (si + imparfait → conditionnel)
For unreal or contrary-to-fact situations (“if X were true, then I would…”), French typically uses si + imparfait in the if clause and conditionnel in the **main clause. English learners sometimes call this a “type 2” hypothesis—it differs from si + présent → futur when the condition feels likely or real**.
Pattern: Si + imparfait, **conditionnel.
- Si j’avais le temps, je lirais plus. (If I had time, I would read more.)
- S’il faisait beau, nous irions à la plage. (If the weather were nice, we would go to the beach.)
- Si tu étais à ma place, que ferais-tu ? (If you were in my shoes, what would you do?)
C. Advice and soft obligation
Devoir in the conditional is the everyday way to say “you should…” without sounding preachy. Works with tu, vous, or on.
- Tu devrais dormir tôt ce soir.
- Vous devriez vérifier les horaires du train. (Travel logistics.)
- On devrait peut-être partir plus tôt.** (Tactful “we should…”)
Conditionnel vs. futur simple: the “S” trap
Learners often confuse je forms because -ai and -ais are neighbors on the page—and in fast speech they can blur.
Futur simple → prediction / commitment → Je mangerai, Je pourrai, Je voudrai (the last is rare for “I would like”; prefer je voudrais).
Conditionnel → hypothesis / politeness → Je mangerais, Je pourrais, Je voudrais.
Pro tip: the S in -ais can mean “scenario / supposition.” If you are **not locking in a hard future fact, -ais is often the right signal.
Side-by-side:
| Tense | Example | English gloss |
|---|---|---|
| Futur simple** | Je réserverai | I **will book |
| Conditionnel** | Je réserverais | I **would book |
| Futur simple** | Tu finiras | You **will finish |
| Conditionnel** | Tu finirais | You would finish |
The 10-minute conditional drill
Use **real contexts so the tense sticks—not only tables. Aim for three micro-scripts you could say aloud tomorrow. Stack this with our daily conjugation routine and a small pool from most common verbs.
- 1. Café / bakery: One line with je voudrais + two items + s’il vous plaît.
- 2. Hotel / transport: One question with pourriez-vous or auriez-vous (e.g. Auriez-vous une couverture ?).
- 3. Hypothesis: Finish Si j’étais à Paris ce weekend, je… with three** verbs in the conditional (movement, food, people).
- 4. Advice: Two lines with tu devrais or **vous devriez (sleep, tickets, backup plan).
- 5. Proofread: Pick five je forms you wrote and verify -ais (conditional) vs -ai (futur).
Frequently asked questions
- How do you form the conditionnel présent in French?
- Use the same stem as the futur simple and add imparfait endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient). For -re verbs, drop the final -e of the infinitive first (vendre → vendr- → je vendrais).
- What is the difference between je voudrai and je voudrais?
- Je voudrai is futur simple (“I will want”). Je voudrais is conditionnel and is the standard polite “I would like…” in shops and restaurants. For requests, use je voudrais.
- When do you use si + imparfait with the French conditional?
- For unreal situations: Si j’avais… + conditionnel in the result (…je voyagerais). This contrasts with si + présent → futur when the condition is realistic or likely.
- Why do je mangerai and je mangerais look so similar?
- They share the same stem; only the ending changes. -ai = futur simple (I will eat). -ais = conditionnel (I would eat). In writing, proofread; in listening, use context (prediction vs hypothesis / politeness).
Make it automatic. The conditionnel présent pays off fastest when you tie it to scripts you need—ordering, asking for help, gentle advice, and one solid si sentence. Keep the stem aligned with the futur simple and the endings aligned with the imparfait; then repeat in short sessions.
- Je voudrais… / J’aimerais… (polite wants)
- Si + imparfait, conditionnel (unreal “if”)
- Tu devrais… (should / ought to)
- -ais = scenario; -ai = straight je futur
Croissant Verbs®:** Adding flavor to your “what ifs.”