More Hypothetical Situations
13.2.1. The Main Idea
You can use the conditionnel présent to imagine different situations, choices, and possibilities.
Je voyagerais plus souvent. | I would travel more often. |
Je choisirais cette option. | I would choose this option. |
Je vivrais en ville. | I would live in the city. |
Je changerais de travail. | I would change jobs. |
The conditional helps you talk about what someone would do, would choose, would prefer, or would change.
13.2.2. Asking More Hypothetical Questions
Tu ferais quoi ? | What would you do? |
Tu choisirais quoi ? | What would you choose? |
Tu irais où ? | Where would you go? |
Tu habiterais où ? | Where would you live? |
Tu inviterais qui ? | Who would you invite? |
Tu achèterais quoi ? | What would you buy? |
Tu changerais quoi ? | What would you change? |
13.2.3. Answering with Je
Je choisirais cette maison. | I would choose this house. |
J’irais au centre-ville. | I would go downtown. |
J’habiterais dans un quartier calme. | I would live in a quiet neighbourhood. |
J’inviterais mes amis. | I would invite my friends. |
J’achèterais un appartement. | I would buy an apartment. |
Je changerais de ville. | I would change cities. |
13.2.4. With Si + Imparfait
Use si + imparfait + conditionnel to say what would happen under a condition.
Si j’avais plus de temps, je voyagerais. | If I had more time, I would travel. |
Si j’avais plus d’argent, j’achèterais une maison. | If I had more money, I would buy a house. |
Si j’étais libre, je sortirais avec mes amis. | If I were free, I would go out with my friends. |
Si je connaissais mieux la ville, je sortirais plus souvent. | If I knew the city better, I would go out more often. |
13.2.5. Hypothetical Choices
Si tu pouvais choisir, tu choisirais quoi ? | If you could choose, what would you choose? |
Si tu pouvais voyager, tu irais où ? | If you could travel, where would you go? |
Si tu pouvais déménager, tu habiterais où ? | If you could move, where would you live? |
Si tu avais le choix, tu ferais quoi ? | If you had the choice, what would you do? |
13.2.6. Useful Conditional Verbs
je ferais | I would do / make |
j’irais | I would go |
je choisirais | I would choose |
j’achèterais | I would buy |
j’habiterais | I would live |
je voyagerais | I would travel |
je changerais | I would change |
j’inviterais | I would invite |
je préférerais | I would prefer |
je voudrais | I would like / want |
13.2.7. Giving an Opinion in a Hypothetical Situation
Moi, je choisirais cette option. | Personally, I would choose this option. |
À ta place, je prendrais le bus. | In your place, I would take the bus. |
Si j’étais toi, je ne ferais pas ça. | If I were you, I would not do that. |
Je pense que ce serait une bonne idée. | I think that would be a good idea. |
Je crois que ce serait trop cher. | I think that would be too expensive. |
13.2.8. Negative Hypothetical Sentences
Je ne ferais pas ça. | I would not do that. |
Je ne choisirais pas cette option. | I would not choose this option. |
Je n’irais pas là-bas. | I would not go there. |
Je n’achèterais pas cette maison. | I would not buy this house. |
Je ne changerais pas de travail. | I would not change jobs. |
13.2.9. Core Patterns
Tu ferais quoi ? | What would you do? |
Tu choisirais quoi ? | What would you choose? |
Tu irais où ? | Where would you go? |
Si j’avais ___, je ___rais. | If I had ___, I would ___. |
Si j’étais toi, je ___rais. | If I were you, I would ___. |
À ta place, je ___rais. | In your place, I would ___. |
Je pense que ce serait ___ . | I think that would be ___. |
13.2.10. Practice
What would you do? | |
Where would you go? | |
I would choose this option. | |
I would live in a quiet neighbourhood. | |
If I had more time, I would travel. | |
If I were you, I would not do that. | |
In your place, I would take the bus. | |
I think that would be too expensive. |
13.2.11. Answers
What would you do? | Tu ferais quoi ? |
Where would you go? | Tu irais où ? |
I would choose this option. | Je choisirais cette option. |
I would live in a quiet neighbourhood. | J’habiterais dans un quartier calme. |
If I had more time, I would travel. | Si j’avais plus de temps, je voyagerais. |
If I were you, I would not do that. | Si j’étais toi, je ne ferais pas ça. |
In your place, I would take the bus. | À ta place, je prendrais le bus. |
I think that would be too expensive. | Je crois que ce serait trop cher. |
13.2.12. Short Dialogue
A : Si tu pouvais voyager, tu irais où ? | A: If you could travel, where would you go? |
B : J’irais en France. Et toi ? | B: I would go to France. And you? |
A : Moi, si j’avais plus de temps, je visiterais Montréal. | A: Me, if I had more time, I would visit Montreal. |
B : Tu habiterais là-bas ? | B: Would you live there? |
A : Peut-être. Je pense que ce serait intéressant. | A: Maybe. I think that would be interesting. |
13.2.13. Checkpoint
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to ask and answer more hypothetical questions, use si + imparfait + conditionnel, talk about imagined choices, and give opinions with expressions such as si j’étais toi, à ta place, and je pense que ce serait.