1. The past conditional
—Qui aurait pu imaginer... une telle obstination dans la générosité la plus magnifique?
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2. The past conditional
Use the past conditional (le conditionnel passé) to express an action that would have occurred in the past.
Conditionnel
Past conditional
Sans les nuages de pollution, on respirerait mieux.
Without smog, we’d breathe better.
Sans les nuages de pollution, nos ancêtres auraient mieux respiré.
Without smog, our ancestors would have breathed better.
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3. The past conditional
The past conditional is formed with a conditionnel form of avoir or être and the past participle of the main verb. Use the same helping verb as you would for any other compound tense, such as the passé composé, the plus-que-parfait, or the future perfect.
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4. The past conditional faire partir se lever je/j’ tu il/elle nous vous
ils/elles
aurais fait
aurait fait
aurions fait
auriez fait
auraient fait
serais parti(e)
serait parti(e)
serions parti(e)s
seriez parti(e)(s)
seraient parti(e)s
me serais levé(e)
te serais levé(e)
se serait levé(e)
nous serions levé(e)s
vous seriez levé(e)(s)
se seraient levé(e)s
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5. The past conditional
Verbs in the past conditional follow the same patterns as they do in other compound tenses for negation, adverb and pronoun placement, and past participle agreement.
Il y a cent ans, personne ne nous aurait parlé de la pluie acide.
100 years ago, no one would have talked to us about acid rain.
Nathalie aurait bien ri si elle avait entendu cette blague.
Nathalie would have laughed a lot if she had heard that joke.
Je ne trouve pas les clés que vous auriez vues hier dans la cuisine.
I cannot find the keys that you might have seen in the kitchen yesterday.
Nous serions déjà partis si cela avait été possible.
We would have already left if it had been possible.
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6. The past conditional
Use the past conditional with certain verbs to express regret or reproach. In the past conditional, aimer + [infinitive] means would have liked to; devoir + [infinitive] means should have; pouvoir + [infinitive] means could have; and vouloir + [infinitive] means would have liked to.
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7. Vous auriez dû étudier un peu plus longtemps.
The past conditional
Vous auriez dû étudier un peu plus longtemps.
You should have studied a little longer.
Tu aurais quand même pu m’appeler hier soir.
You could have at least called me last night.
Nous aurions aimé regarder un film différent.
We would have liked to watch a different film.
J’aurais voulu lire l’article sur les sources d’énergie.
I would have liked to read the article about energy sources.
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8. The past conditional
Use the conditionnel or the past conditional with the expression au cas où (in case).
Prends ton portable au cas où le train arriverait en retard. Bring your cell phone in case the train arrives late.
Prends ton portable au cas où le train serait déjà parti quand vous arriverez à la gare.
Bring your cell phone in case the train has already left when you arrive at the station.
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9. The past conditional
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10. The past conditional
You have learned that the conditionnel can express a future action when talking about the past. The past conditional can act as a future perfect in the past, describing events that were to have taken place at a later point.
Maman nous a dit qu’elle rentrerait avant minuit. Mom told us that she would come home before midnight.
Maman nous avait dit qu’elle serait rentrée avant minuit, mais elle n’a pas pu. Mom had told us that she would comehome before midnight, but she couldn’t.
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11. The past conditional
Just as the conditionnel can express uncertainty about events in the present, the past conditional can express uncertainty about events in the past.
Selon le journal, il y aurait une centaine d’habitants dans ce village. According to the newspaper, there might be a hundred or so inhabitants in this town.
Selon le journal, il y aurait eu une centaine de manifestants samedi. According to the newspaper, there might have been a hundred or so protesters on Saturday.
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