Expressing Hypotheticals with If + Past Tense + Conditional

Welcome to Start French Now! Today, we’ll dive into a very useful and commonly encountered grammatical structure in French: the "Si + imparfait + conditionnel" structure. This structure allows us to create hypotheses in imaginary situations or those that are not realizable at the present moment. Imagine:

This type of sentence is an excellent way to practice and expand your understanding of the conditional. Let’s dive in!

Understanding the Structure: When the Imperfect Meets the Conditional

The "Si + imparfait + conditionnel" structure is ideal for expressing hypothetical situations that do not exist in the present.

Here, we use the imperfect to introduce the hypothesis and the conditional to express the consequence of this situation. The imperfect, in this context, is not used to talk about the past but to describe a condition that is, at this precise moment, imaginary. This can feel a little confusing!

Structure in Detail: The Tenses Used

To better understand, let’s examine the tenses used in this structure:

This structure is typically used to talk about a hypothetical situation in the present.

Here, the hypothesis (the weather is bad at the moment) is in the present, but we use the imperfect to express it.

Quick Review: How to Conjugate in the Imperfect?

To master this structure, let’s quickly review how to form the imperfect. The imperfect is formed from the base of the first-person plural (nous) in the present tense of the indicative, to which we add the imperfect endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.

For example, for the verb *boire*:

The notable exception is the verb *être*, whose base is unusually "ét":

The Conditional: Imagining Hypothetical Consequences

Let’s now move to the present conditional. The conditional is formed with the future base (often the infinitive of the verb) and the imperfect endings. For example, the verb *aimer* is conjugated in the conditional as follows:

Keep in mind that there are irregular verbs to learn, such as:

Note that, despite the irregularities, the “r” is always found in the conditional tense.

Takeaways

➜ The Si + imparfait + conditionnel structure is used to express imaginary hypotheses in the present.
➜ Use the imperfect to introduce the hypothesis, and the conditional to express the consequence.
➜ The imperfect is formed from the "nous" base in the present tense + endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
➜ The conditional is formed with the future base (often the infinitive) + imperfect endings.
➜ Some common verbs are irregular in the conditional (être, avoir, aller, faire, etc.).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Si + imparfait + conditionnel structure is essential for expressing hypothetical situations in the present. It’s a powerful tool that allows us to talk about our dreams, wishes, or simply imaginary scenarios. Keep practicing with these sentences to feel more comfortable with these concepts!

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Have a great day, and see you soon for another lesson!