Je ferai or je ferais? French future and conditional compared
Compare future commitments, hypothetical results and polite requests through paired examples, a work-planning scene and four questions.
Je ferai means “I will do”; je ferais means “I would do”. The future presents a later action; the conditional can frame a hypothetical result, advice or a softened request. Choose the meaning, then the ending.
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What is the difference between je ferai and je ferais?
Je préparerai la présentation.I will prepare the presentation.
Focus: The speaker takes on a future task.
future stem + -ai
Demain, je vous enverrai ma proposition.
Tomorrow, I will send you my proposal.
Je préparerais la présentation si j’avais le temps.I would prepare the presentation if I had time.
Focus: The task depends on an imagined situation.
si + imparfait → conditional
Avec plus de temps, je développerais cette idée.
With more time, I would develop this idea.
| Subject | Future | Conditional |
|---|---|---|
| je | ferai | ferais |
| tu | feras | ferais |
| il / elle / on | fera | ferait |
| nous | ferons | ferions |
| vous | ferez | feriez |
| ils / elles | feront | feraient |
A final -s distinguishes the two je forms. With nous and vous, look for -ions and -iez in the conditional. Some speakers pronounce ferai and ferais alike; in writing, use the sentence’s purpose and the written ending.
A commitment, a suggestion and advice
- Nora
Je préparerai la première partie pour lundi.
I will prepare the first part for Monday.
- Sami
Nous pourrions préparer la conclusion ensemble.
We could prepare the conclusion together.
- Nora
Bonne idée. À ta place, je commencerais par les résultats.
Good idea. If I were you, I would start with the results.
- Sami
D’accord. Je t’appellerai demain.
All right. I will call you tomorrow.
Which tenses go with si for the future and the conditional?
Si nous avons le temps, nous participerons.
If we have time, we will take part.
An open condition: present after si, future in this result.
Si nous avions le temps, nous participerions.
If we had time, we would take part.
An imagined situation: imparfait after si, conditional in the result.
A future can include uncertainty: Je viendrai peut-être means “I may come”. For a request now, Pourriez-vous m’aider ? means “Could you help me?” For future availability, Pourrez-vous m’aider lundi ? asks whether the person will be able to help on Monday.