Present French Conditional: Could, Should, Would

---

👉 Watch my video lesson on this French grammar topic at the bottom of this post 👈

---

Present French Conditional

The present French conditional is used to express COULD – SHOULD – WOULD .  Just like in English, using the conditional tense means that something is only going to happen if a certain condition is met.  

WOULD do something	Use the MAIN VERB in the conditional Si j’étais en France, J’APPRENDRAIS le français. If I were in France, I would learn French.
COULD do something	Use the verb POUVOIR in the conditional + infinitive Si j’étais en France, JE POURRAIS apprendre le français. If I were in France, I could learn French.
SHOULD do something	Use the verb DEVOIR in the conditional + infinitive JE DEVRAIS apprendre le français. I should learn French.

To form the conditional of regular verbs, use the infinitive of the verb as your stem, and add the IMPERFECT endings.  There are some irregular conditional stems you’ll need to learn.  They’re exactly the same as the irregular stems for the FUTUR SIMPLE tense (see chart below).

je + stem + ais	nous + stem + ions
tu + stem + ais	vous + stem + iez
il / elle / on + stem + ait	ils / elles + stem + aient

Common verbs with irregular conditional stems

Quizlet:  Practice forming the conditional

Quizlet:  Practice and master these irregular stems

infinitive	stem	future	translation
aller	ir	j’irais	I would go
avoir	aur-	j’aurais	I would have
courir	courr-	je courrais	I would run
devoir	devr-	je devrais	I should
envoyer	enverr-	j’enverrais	I would send
être	ser-	je serais	I would be
faire	fer-	je ferais	I would do / I would make
falloir	faudr-	il faudrait	It would be necessary
mourir	mourr-	je mourrais	I would die
obtenir	obtiendr-	j’obtiendrais	I would obtain
pleuvoir	pleuvr-	il pleuvrait	It would rain
pouvoir	pourr-	je pourrais	I would be able to
recevoir	recevr-	je recevrais	I would receive
savoir	saur-	je saurais	I would know
tenir	tiendr-	je tiendrais	I would hold
venir	viendr-	je viendrais	I would come
voir	verr-	je verrais	I would see
vouloir	voudr-	je voudrais	I would want

https://atomic-temporary-158445458.wpcomstaging.com/2020/12/03/french-past-conditional-would-have-could-have-should-have/

B1 Level – French present conditional tense – SHOULD, COULD, WOULD

• How do you form the present conditional tense?
• Which verbs do you use to say should, could, and would?

Follow this lesson step by step:

STEP 1👉 Download your cours and be ready to fill in the blanks and take your own notes as you listen to my explanations and examples.

STEP 2 👉 Watch my 17 minute lesson on the French present conditional and specifically how to say should, could, and would.

STEP 3 👉 Download your study guide to accompany the video lesson with bonus information not included in written form during the video lesson. Keep it handy as you complete the bonus material to help you practice and master your new skill.

STEP 4 👉 Download a one page printable that you can fold into a booklet and use as a handy reference guide. The booklet includes a list of common verbs with irregular stems in the conditional plus twelve additional examples not given in the video or study guide.

STEP 5 👉 Take a multiple choice online quiz including 12 questions.

STEP 6 👉 Take a multiple choice online test including 12 challenge questions.

STEP 7 👉 Download and complete a written exercise to test yourself. You will appreciate my 33 minute audio recording as I walk you through this exercise. Not only will I read the sentences and help you find the correct answers, but I will explain a lot of the upper level grammar included in the sentences. You’re going to learn so much!

STEP 8 👉 Download your set of practice cards. This is the final step to help you master could, should, and would. An answer key is provided.

---

---