FORMATION-
To form the past conditional in French, the
auxiliary verb (AVOIR or ETRE) in the present conditional is followed by the
past participle of the main verb.
Je serais arrivé(e)...
|
Nous aurons fini...
|
Tu lui aurais parlé...
|
Vous vous seriez fâché...
|
USAGE- expressed what would have happened if another event had taken pace
or if certain conditions had been present. Thus, it is commonly used in
experiences of regret and reproach.
1. Ways of expressing regret and reproach in
English are could have or should have.
POUVOIR in
past conditonal + infinitive = could have
DEVOIR in
past conditonal + infinitive = should have
Tu aurais pu me téléphoner!
Tu as raison. J’aurais dû te téléphoner.
|
You
could have called me!
You’re
right. I should have called you.
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2. SI CLAUSES- the past conditional most often
appears in sentences in which the verb in the SI CLAUSES is in the PLUPERFECT
SI + PLUPERFECT, PASTCONDITIONAL
|
Si tu me l’avais dit, j’aurais pu appoter tous les outils
nécessaires pour réparer ta voiture.
Tu n’aurais pas eu à faire venir
un mécanicien si tu m’avais parlé de
tes difficultés.
NOTE:
Either the present or past conditional must be used following the expression au cas oû
Au cas oû tu aurais encore des problèmes, tu pourrais me donner un coup de fils.
In case you have further problems, you could give me a
call.
Au cas oû le mécanicien n’aurait
pas pu réparer ta voiture, donne-moi un coup.
In case your mechanic isn’t able to come repair your call, give me a
call.
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