Le conditionnel passé · fiche de formation
1 · Put the conditional on the auxiliary
Conjugate avoir or être, then add the past participle. The main verb supplies fait, écrit or parti, rather than an infinitive.
Avec plus de temps, j’aurais terminé.With more time, I would have finished.
Elle serait venue si elle avait reçu l’invitation.She would have come if she had received the invitation.
2 · Keep the familiar auxiliary
Use the same auxiliary as in the corresponding passé composé construction.
| j’ai écrit → j’aurais écrit | I wrote → I would have written |
| elle est partie → elle serait partie | she left → she would have left |
| nous avons fait → nous aurions fait | we did → we would have done |
3 · Check agreement with ordinary être verbs
With partir, venir and arriver, the participle agrees with the subject. Pronominal verbs need their own agreement check.
Elles seraient parties plus tôt.They would have left earlier.
Il serait arrivé avant midi.He would have arrived before midday.
4 · With avoir, locate the direct object
The subject alone adds no agreement. A direct object placed before the verb can require it: compare un message after the verb with les lettres que before it.
Elles auraient écrit un message.They would have written a message.
Voici les lettres qu’elles auraient écrites.Here are the letters they would have written.
5 · Place the negative around the auxiliary
Use ne / n’ before the auxiliary and pas after it. An object pronoun comes before the auxiliary too.
Je n’aurais pas accepté.I would not have accepted.
Ce message, je ne l’aurais pas envoyé.I would not have sent that message.
6 · Distinguish three similar forms
The auxiliary changes the tense. J’avais terminé can also appear in a hypothetical condition such as si j’avais terminé.
| je terminerais | I would finish · present conditional |
| j’aurais terminé | I would have finished · past conditional |
| j’avais terminé | I had finished · plus-que-parfait |