Conditional mode
The conditional mode makes it possible to express an action subject to condition. We are here in the realm of eventuality.
S'il avait le temps, il lirait ce livre.
Conditional tenses
In the conditional, there is the present and the past. The peculiarity of this mode is to have two forms for the past. The second form is however of a more literary use and one meets mainly the first form./p>
| Simple tenses | Compound tenses |
|---|---|
|
Present It allows to express: -an action that depends on a condition -an action possible -a wish -a polite request |
Past The past conditional is used to express: -an action that did not happen in the past -a regret -a supposed fact unverified. |