If you’re learning French, and it’s 21 different verb forms, you’ve probably struggled over a few verbs charts or stumbled through telling a story in the future tense. The system of language gets a bad rap among language learners. (I didn't know whether he would do it.Ah, grammar. Savez‐vous si elle travaillera demain? (Do you know if she will work tomorrow?).In conditional sentences, si always means “if.” When si means “whether,” it may be followed by any tense, just as in English: (I would have baked a cake, if I had known you were coming.) J'aurais fait un gâteau, si j'avais su que tu venais.(If he had had the time, he would have helped you.) S'il avait eu le temps, il t'aurait aidé.(I would send you money, if you needed some.) Je t'enverrais de l'argent, si tu en avais besoin.(If I were rich, I'd buy myself a castle.) Si j'étais riche, je m'achèterais un château.
Once again, either clause may begin the sentence, but in the si clause, the subject must be followed by the imperfect or the plus‐que‐parfait. The sequence of tenses for a contrary‐to‐fact condition is shown in Table 2. You might say the following if you're not expecting snow: (If you heard about it, don't say anything.)Ī conditional sentence that describes a situation or event that is unlikely is called “contrary‐to‐fact” or “unreal”: (She didn't know the details, if she told you that.) Elle ne savait pas les détails, si elle vous a dit cela.(If he made a mistake, he will lose a lot of money.) S'il s'est trompé, il perdra beaucoup d'argent.(If I understood correctly, she changed her mind.) Si j'ai bien compris, elle a changé d'avis.(The flight hasn't arrived yet, if I heard correctly.) Le vol n'est pas encore arrivé, si j'ai bien entendu.(If he doesn't start immediately, he will not have finished before noon.) S'il ne commence pas immédiatement, il n'aura pas fini avant midi.Note that si elides with il or ils to become s'il and s'ils, respectively, but does not elide with elle ( si elle) or elles ( si elles). In the examples below, note that either clause may begin the sentence, but in the si clause, the subject must be followed by the present or the passé composé. The sequence of tenses for a real condition is shown in Table 1. French II: Conditional Mood & ConditionsĪ condition that describes what is possible or likely in the present or past is called a “real” condition:.Using the Correct Form of the Past Tense.Infinitive in Interrogatives Exclamations.Infinitive Preceded by Adjectives and Nouns.French II: Special Uses of Certain Verbs.
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