The past conditional describes actions that would have occurred if something else had happened before but did not. It is mainly used in third conditional (counterfactual) sentences and in indirect speech to talk about a future action relative to a past moment.
Usage
The past conditional is used to describe:
Hypothetical Past Events
Events that would have happened in the past if a certain condition had been met, usually introduced by si (if).
- Example: *Si j’avais étudié, j’aurais réussi.
- (If I had studied, I would have passed.)
Regrets and Criticism
Expressing regret or criticism about a past action that did not occur.
- Example: *Tu aurais dû me prévenir.
- (You should have warned me.)
Reported Speech (Past Future in the Past)
Describing an action that was expected or supposed to happen in the past, often in indirect speech.
- Example: *Il a dit qu’il serait parti tôt.
- (He said he would have left early.)
Which auxiliary verb do you use to form the past conditional of reflexive verbs?
Être
Reflexive verbs — along with certain verbs of motion — use être as the auxiliary in compound tenses, including the past conditional.
Formation
The past conditional is formed with the conditional tense of avoir or être + the past participle.
- Use avoir for most verbs.
- Use être for reflexive verbs and verbs of motion (e.g., aller, venir, partir), just like in the passé composé.
Metrics
| Auxiliary verb | Person & Ending | Example \* (aimer) |
|---|---|---|
| Avoir | Je -ais | j’aurais aimé |
| Être | Je -ais | je serais parti(e) |
\ Example verbs: aimer (to like — uses avoir), partir (to leave — uses être*)
Conjugation
| Pronoun | Auxiliary (avoir) | Past Participle | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | aurais | aimé | J’aurais aimé venir. | I would have liked to come. |
| Tu | aurais | fini | Tu aurais fini tôt. | You would have finished early. |
| Il/Elle | aurait | fait | Elle aurait fait le gâteau. | She would have made the cake. |
| Nous | aurions | pris | Nous aurions pris le train. | We would have taken the train. |
| Vous | auriez | vu | Vous auriez vu le film. | You would have seen the movie. |
| Ils/Elles | auraient | écrit | Ils auraient écrit la lettre. | They would have written the letter. |
| Pronoun | Auxiliary (être) | Past Participle | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | serais | parti(e) | Je serais parti(e) tôt. | I would have left early. |
| Tu | serais | venu(e) | Tu serais venu(e) | You would have come. |
| Il/Elle | serait | arrivé(e) | Il serait arrivé en retard. | He would have arrived late. |
| Nous | serions | sortis | Nous serions sortis ensemble. | We would have gone out together. |
| Vous | seriez | monté(e)(s) | Vous seriez monté(e)(s). | You would have gone up. |
| Ils/Elles | seraient | tombé(e)s | Elles seraient tombées. | They would have fallen. |
Examples
Si + Plus-que-parfait + Past Conditional (Third Conditional)
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Si j’avais su, je ne serais pas venu(e). | If I had known, I wouldn’t have come. |
| Si tu étais parti(e) plus tôt, tu aurais évité le trafic. | If you had left earlier, you would have avoided traffic. |
| S’ils avaient étudié, ils auraient réussi l’examen. | If they had studied, they would have passed the exam. |
Past Conditional Expressing Regret or Blame
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Tu aurais pu m’aider. | You could have helped me. |
| J’aurais voulu te parler. | I would have liked to speak to you. |
| Elle aurait dû appeler avant. | She should have called earlier. |
Other Examples
| French | English |
|---|---|
| J’aurais aimé visiter Paris. | I would have liked to visit Paris. |
| Nous serions restés plus longtemps. | We would have stayed longer. |
| Ils auraient acheté une maison. | They would have bought a house. |
Common Mistakes
- Forgetting to use the correct auxiliary (avoir or être).
- Confusing past conditional with simple conditional or passé composé.
- Not making past participles agree when using être.
Summary
- Use past conditional to talk about actions that would have happened in the past under certain conditions.
- Form with conditional of avoir/être + past participle.
- Common in si + plus-que-parfait sentences, regret expressions, and reported speech.
The past conditional (le conditionnel passé) helps you speak about the "what ifs" of the past in French—those things that didn’t happen but might have, given a different set of circumstances.
See Also
What mood is used to form the past conditional in French?
Conditional
The past conditional uses the auxiliary verbs in the conditional mood combined with the past participle.
Flashcards (1 of 21)
- Pronoun: Je
- Auxiliary (avoir): aurais
- Past Participle: aimé
- English Example: I would have liked to come.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
