Why is "Writing *si j'aurais* instead of *si j'avais* in a 'si' sentence" a common mistake in Conditional?

Why it happens: Both halves of the sentence feel like 'would', so learners put the conditional after *si* too. How to avoid it: After *si* (if) in a hypothetical sentence, always use the **imperfect**: *si j'avais*, *si j'étais*, *si tu pouvais*. The conditional goes only in the other half. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)

Why is "Confusing the future (*je jouerai*) with the conditional (*je jouerais*)" a common mistake in Conditional?

Why it happens: They share the same -r stem and differ only by one letter (-ai vs -ais) and a subtle sound. How to avoid it: Translate the English first: 'will' → future (-ai, no -s); 'would' → conditional (-ais, with -s). In listening, future *je ...ai* is a closed '-ay', conditional *je ...ais* is an open '-eh'. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Papers 1 & 4

Why is "Building irregular verbs on the infinitive (*je avoirais*, *je êtrais*)" a common mistake in Conditional?

Why it happens: The 'add endings to the infinitive' rule works for regular verbs, so learners over-apply it. How to avoid it: Memorise the irregular stems as fixed chunks: être → **ser-** (*je serais*), avoir → **aur-** (*j'aurais*), aller → **ir-** (*j'irais*), faire → **fer-** (*je ferais*). Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)

Why is "Dropping the final -s of the *je/tu* conditional (*je voudrai* for *je voudrais*)" a common mistake in Conditional?

Why it happens: The -s is silent, so it is easy to forget when writing. How to avoid it: Remember: 'would' forms (*je voudrais*, *tu devrais*) carry the **-s**; 'will' forms (*je voudrai*) do not. Check every *je*/*tu* ending against the English meaning. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy

Why is "Using *je veux* (I want) instead of *je voudrais* (I would like) in role-plays" a common mistake in Conditional?

Why it happens: Beginners learn *je veux* first and don't realise it sounds blunt in French. How to avoid it: For any request or wish, switch to the conditional *je voudrais* (I would like). Practise it as an automatic phrase before the Speaking exam. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 3 (Speaking)

Verb Tenses and MoodsCambridge IGCSE French (0520)

Conditional

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The French conditional tense (le conditionnel) — Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 (2025-2027)

A beginner-friendly guide to the French conditional — the 'would' tense — so you can be polite, talk about dreams and hypothetical plans, and unlock easy marks across Speaking and Writing. Master one simple recipe: future stem + imperfect endings.

At a glance

The conditional (le conditionnel) is the 'would' tense in English: je voudrais (I would like), je jouerais (I would play).
Use it to be polite (je voudrais un café — I would like a coffee), for dreams/hypotheticals (j'aimerais visiter Paris — I would like to visit Paris), and for advice (tu devrais étudier — you should study).
The recipe is wonderfully simple: future stem + imperfect endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient).
The future stem is usually the whole infinitive: jouer → je jouerais (I would play). For -re verbs, drop the final -e: vendre → je vendrais (I would sell).
The endings are the same for every verb, regular or irregular — so once you know the stem, you can always finish the word.
The big irregular stems are worth memorising: être → ser-, avoir → aur-, aller → ir-, faire → fer-, vouloir → voudr-, pouvoir → pourr-, devoir → devr-.
'Si' (if) sentences love the conditional: Si j'avais de l'argent, je voyagerais (If I had money, I would travel) — imperfect after si, conditional in the other half.
Do not confuse the conditional (je jouerais — I would play) with the future (je jouerai — I will play): listen for the soft '-ay' (future) vs the open '-eh' (conditional).

What you’ll learn

Mapped to the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 syllabus (2025-2027).

Recognise the conditional as the equivalent of English 'would' and identify when it is needed.
Form the conditional of regular -er, -ir and -re verbs using future stem + imperfect endings.
Form the conditional of the key irregular verbs (être, avoir, aller, faire, vouloir, pouvoir, devoir).
Use the conditional to make polite requests, express wishes and give advice in real sentences.
Build 'si' (if) sentences with the imperfect + conditional pattern.
Distinguish the conditional from the simple future in both writing and listening.
Apply the conditional accurately in Paper 3 Speaking and Paper 4 Writing for higher-band marks.

What the conditional is — the 'would' tense

The conditional expresses what would happen, and makes requests polite.

The conditional (le conditionnel) is the tense that matches the little English word 'would'. Whenever you can put 'would' in front of an English verb, French uses the conditional.

English	French	Literally
I would like a coffee	je voudrais un café	I would-want a coffee
She would play tennis	elle jouerait au tennis	she would-play at tennis
We would travel	nous voyagerions	we would-travel
They would be happy	ils seraient contents	they would-be happy

The conditional has three everyday jobs at IGCSE level:

1. Politeness (the most useful one). Asking directly — je veux (I want) — sounds blunt in French. The conditional softens it to je voudrais (I would like). This single phrase earns marks and goodwill in the Speaking test.

2. Dreams and hypotheticals. Talk about things that are not real (yet): j'aimerais habiter en France (I would like to live in France), ce serait formidable (that would be wonderful).

3. Advice. Tu devrais te reposer (you should rest) and tu pourrais essayer (you could try) are gentle, natural ways to suggest something.

Worked mini-example. Turn the blunt Je veux réserver une table (I want to book a table) into something polite for a restaurant role-play. Swap je veux for the conditional je voudrais: Je voudrais réserver une table (I would like to book a table). Same meaning, much better manners — and a higher mark.

Conditional = English 'would': je voudrais (I would like).
Three jobs: politeness, dreams/hypotheticals, and advice.
Je voudrais (I would like) instantly upgrades je veux (I want).
Tu devrais (you should) and tu pourrais (you could) give advice politely.

How to form it — future stem + imperfect endings

One recipe builds every conditional: take the future stem, add the imperfect endings.

The conditional recipe applied to jouer (to play): future stem jouer- plus the six imperfect endings.

There is just one recipe for the whole conditional, and you may already know both halves:

Conditional = future stem + imperfect endings.

Step 1 — find the future stem. For most verbs the stem is simply the whole infinitive:

-er verbs: jouer (to play) → stem jouer-
-ir verbs: finir (to finish) → stem finir-
-re verbs: drop the final -e → vendre (to sell) → stem vendr-

Notice the stem always ends in -r. That -r is the signature sound of both the future and the conditional.

Step 2 — add the imperfect endings. These six endings never change, for any verb:

Subject	Ending	Pronounced
je	-ais	"-eh"
tu	-ais	"-eh"
il / elle / on	-ait	"-eh"
nous	-ions	"-ee-on"
vous	-iez	"-ee-ay"
ils / elles	-aient	"-eh"

Putting it together for the three regular families:

Verb	je	il/elle	nous	ils/elles
jouer (play)	je jouerais	il jouerait	nous jouerions	ils joueraient
finir (finish)	je finirais	il finirait	nous finirions	ils finiraient
vendre (sell)	je vendrais	il vendrait	nous vendrions	ils vendraient

All of these mean "I would play / he would finish / we would sell" and so on.

Worked mini-example. Build "we would finish" from scratch. Infinitive finir (to finish) → future stem finir- → add the nous ending -ions → nous finirions (we would finish). Recipe complete.

One recipe: future stem + imperfect endings.
Future stem = the infinitive (drop final -e on -re verbs): jouer-, finir-, vendr-.
The stem always ends in -r — the giveaway sound of future and conditional.
Endings (same for every verb): -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
je jouerais = I would play; nous finirions = we would finish.

The irregular stems you must memorise

A handful of high-frequency verbs use a special stem — but the endings stay the same.

Here is the best news about the conditional: even the irregular verbs use the same endings. Only the stem changes, and it is the exact same irregular stem you use for the future tense — so learning it once covers two tenses.

Infinitive	Meaning	Conditional stem	Example	English
être	to be	ser-	je serais	I would be
avoir	to have	aur-	j'aurais	I would have
aller	to go	ir-	j'irais	I would go
faire	to do/make	fer-	je ferais	I would do
vouloir	to want	voudr-	je voudrais	I would like/want
pouvoir	to be able	pourr-	je pourrais	I could / would be able
devoir	to have to	devr-	je devrais	I should / would have to
venir	to come	viendr-	je viendrais	I would come
voir	to see	verr-	je verrais	I would see
savoir	to know	saur-	je saurais	I would know
falloir	to be necessary	faudr-	il faudrait	it would be necessary / one should

The three you will use most are vouloir (politeness), pouvoir (could) and devoir (should):

Je voudrais... — I would like... (requests, wishes)
Tu pourrais... / Pourriez-vous... — Could you... (polite asking)
Tu devrais... — You should... (advice)

Worked mini-example. Give a friend advice using devoir. Stem devr- + tu ending -ais → tu devrais. So Tu devrais boire de l'eau (You should drink some water). Swap in pourrais for a softer suggestion: Tu pourrais boire de l'eau (You could drink some water).

Irregular verbs keep the same endings — only the stem is special.
The conditional stem = the future stem, so you learn it once for two tenses.
Top stems: être → ser-, avoir → aur-, aller → ir-, faire → fer-.
Most useful: voudr- (would like), pourr- (could), devr- (should).
je serais (I would be), j'aurais (I would have), j'irais (I would go).

'Si' (if) sentences — imperfect + conditional

To say what would happen if something were true, use 'si' + imperfect, then the conditional.

The hypothetical 'si' pattern: si + imperfect in the 'if' half, conditional in the result half.

One of the most common places the conditional appears is in 'si' (if) sentences about imaginary situations. The pattern is fixed and easy:

Si + imperfect, ... conditional.

Si j'avais le temps, je lirais plus. — If I had the time, I would read more.
Si nous étions riches, nous achèterions une maison. — If we were rich, we would buy a house.
Si tu travaillais plus, tu réussirais. — If you worked harder, you would succeed.

The 'if' half (the si clause) uses the imperfect (avais, étions, travaillais). The result half uses the conditional (lirais, achèterions, réussirais). Either half can come first — when the si clause comes first, separate the two with a comma.

A very common trap: never put the conditional directly after si in these sentences. Say si j'avais (imperfect), not si j'aurais (conditional). This is a real and frequent error.

Worked mini-example. Complete: Si j'étais en France, je ___ (parler) français tous les jours. The si half is already imperfect (j'étais — if I were), so the gap needs the conditional of parler: stem parler- + je ending -ais → je parlerais. Full sentence: Si j'étais en France, je parlerais français tous les jours (If I were in France, I would speak French every day).

Pattern: si + imperfect → conditional for imaginary situations.
Si j'avais de l'argent, je voyagerais — If I had money, I would travel.
The if half is imperfect; the result half is conditional.
Either half can come first; use a comma when si leads.
Never si j'aurais — after si use the imperfect si j'avais.

Conditional vs future — telling 'would' from 'will'

The future and conditional share a stem; the endings (and the sound) separate them.

Because both tenses use the same -r stem, beginners mix up the future (will) and the conditional (would). The difference is entirely in the endings, and there is a clear sound difference too.

	Future ("will")	Conditional ("would")
je	je jouerai ("-ay")	je jouerais ("-eh")
tu	tu joueras	tu jouerais
il	il jouera	il jouerait
nous	nous jouerons	nous jouerions
vous	vous jouerez	vous joueriez
ils	ils joueront	ils joueraient

Two quick tests:

1. Meaning test. Does the English say will (future) or would (conditional)?

Je jouerai = I will play (a real plan).
Je jouerais = I would play (if something were true / politely).

2. Sound test (vital for Listening). In the je form, the future -ai is a closed "-ay" (like 'day'), while the conditional -ais is an open "-eh" (like 'bed'). It is subtle but examined: je serai (suh-RAY — I will be) vs je serais (suh-REH — I would be).

Worked mini-example. Translate two sentences. "Tomorrow I will visit my grandmother" is a real plan → future: Demain, je visiterai ma grand-mère. "I would visit her if I had time" is hypothetical → conditional: Je la visiterais si j'avais le temps. Same stem visiter-, different ending and meaning.

Same stem, different endings: future -ai/-as/-a vs conditional -ais/-ait/-ions.
Meaning: future = 'will'; conditional = 'would'.
Sound: future je ...ai = closed '-ay'; conditional je ...ais = open '-eh'.
je serai (I will be) vs je serais (I would be).
Spot the trigger: a plan/fact → future; politeness/if-clause → conditional.

How it’s examined

The conditional is a higher-level structure that lifts answers into the top mark bands, and it appears across the papers in Cambridge IGCSE French 0520.

Paper 1 (Listening): You must distinguish the conditional from the future by ear — je serai (suh-RAY, I will be) vs je serais (suh-REH, I would be). Speakers use the conditional for polite requests and hypotheticals, and mishearing the ending changes the meaning.
Paper 2 (Reading): Recognise conditional forms (the -r stem plus -ais/-ait endings) so you understand wishes, advice and 'si' sentences in a text, and don't read 'would' as 'will'.
Paper 3 (Speaking): Politeness is explicitly rewarded — je voudrais (I would like) in role-plays, and tu devrais / tu pourrais (you should / you could) when giving opinions or advice. Using the conditional naturally signals a stronger candidate.
Paper 4 (Writing): A correctly used conditional (especially in a 'si' sentence) demonstrates the range of tenses examiners look for in the higher bands. Spell the je ending with its -s (je voudrais, not je voudrai) and keep the imperfect after si.

Examiner reports note that stronger candidates use je voudrais and 'si' clauses confidently, while weaker ones confuse future and conditional endings or write si j'aurais instead of si j'avais.

Sources: Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 Syllabus 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Paper 3 (Speaking) & Paper 4 (Writing) Specimen 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports 2022-2024. Last reviewed 2026-06-02.

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Worked examples, formulae, definitions and the mistakes examiners flag — everything you need to push from a pass to an A*.

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Step-by-step worked examples — Conditional

Step-by-step solutions to past-paper-style questions on conditional, written exactly the way a tutor would explain them at the board.

1Build the conditional of a regular -er verb
Getting started
Question
Put jouer (to play) into the conditional for je (I) and nous (we). Aim for 'I would play' and 'we would play'.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Find the future stem. For -er verbs the stem is the whole infinitive: jouer → stem jouer-. (It ends in -r, the signature of the conditional.)
2. Step 2
  Add the imperfect ending for je which is -ais: jouer- + -ais → je jouerais (I would play).
3. Step 3
  Add the imperfect ending for nous which is -ions: jouer- + -ions → nous jouerions (we would play).
Answer
je jouerais (I would play) · nous jouerions (we would play).
Examiner tip
The recipe is always future stem + imperfect endings. Note the nous form keeps the -i- of -ions, giving the double sound 'jouer-ions' — a detail examiners notice in Paper 4 spelling.
2Make a polite request with the conditional
Getting started
Question
In a café role-play you want to say 'I would like a coffee and I would like to pay'. Rewrite the blunt Je veux un café et je veux payer politely using the conditional.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Spot the verb to change. Je veux (I want) is from vouloir and sounds blunt. The conditional of vouloir uses the irregular stem voudr-.
2. Step 2
  Add the je ending -ais: voudr- + -ais → je voudrais (I would like).
3. Step 3
  Reuse it for the second clause. Je voudrais payer (I would like to pay) — the verb after voudrais stays in the infinitive (payer).
Answer
Je voudrais un café et je voudrais payer. (I would like a coffee and I would like to pay.)
Examiner tip
Politeness is directly rewarded in Paper 3 role-plays. Je voudrais is the single most useful conditional form at this level — learn it as a fixed chunk and use it for every request.
3Give advice using devoir and pouvoir
Building confidence
Question
A friend is tired before an exam. Give two pieces of advice: 'You should sleep' and 'You could revise tomorrow', using the conditional of devoir and pouvoir.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Advice 1 — devoir (to have to). Its conditional stem is devr-. Add the tu ending -ais → tu devrais (you should).
2. Step 2
  Complete it: tu devrais dormir (you should sleep) — dormir (to sleep) stays in the infinitive after devrais.
3. Step 3
  Advice 2 — pouvoir (to be able). Its conditional stem is pourr- (double r). Add -ais → tu pourrais (you could).
4. Step 4
  Complete it: tu pourrais réviser demain (you could revise tomorrow).
Answer
Tu devrais dormir. Tu pourrais réviser demain. (You should sleep. You could revise tomorrow.)
Examiner tip
Tu devrais (you should) and tu pourrais (you could) are the natural ways to give advice in French. The stems are irregular (devr-, pourr-) but the endings are the ordinary -ais. Don't forget the double r in pourrais.
4Complete a 'si' (if) sentence
Building confidence
Question
Complete with the correct tense: Si j'avais beaucoup d'argent, je ___ (acheter) une grande maison. (If I had a lot of money, I would buy a big house.)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Identify the pattern. The si half already uses the imperfect j'avais (if I had). The pattern is si + imperfect → conditional, so the gap must be conditional.
2. Step 2
  Find the stem of acheter. Acheter (to buy) takes a grave accent in this tense: the stem is achèter-.
3. Step 3
  Add the je ending -ais: achèter- + -ais → j'achèterais (I would buy).
Answer
Si j'avais beaucoup d'argent, j'achèterais une grande maison. (If I had a lot of money, I would buy a big house.)
Examiner tip
Two things score here: keeping the imperfect after si (never si j'aurais) and the conditional in the result clause. The grave accent on achèterais is required spelling in Paper 4.
5Choose between future and conditional
Stretch
Question
Translate, choosing the right tense for each: (a) 'Next year I will study in France.' (b) 'I would study more if I had time.' Use étudier (to study).
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Sentence (a) is a real plan — English 'will' → future. Stem étudier- + je future ending -ai → j'étudierai (no final -s).
2. Step 2
  Add the time phrase: L'année prochaine, j'étudierai en France. (Next year I will study in France.)
3. Step 3
  Sentence (b) is hypothetical — English 'would' → conditional. Stem étudier- + je conditional ending -ais → j'étudierais (with final -s).
4. Step 4
  Add the si clause in the imperfect: J'étudierais plus si j'avais le temps. (I would study more if I had time.)
Answer
(a) L'année prochaine, j'étudierai en France. (will → future, -ai) · (b) J'étudierais plus si j'avais le temps. (would → conditional, -ais).
Examiner tip
Same stem étudier-; only the ending and the final -s differ. 'Will' = future -ai ('-ay' sound); 'would' = conditional -ais ('-eh' sound). This contrast is tested in Listening and rewarded for accuracy in Writing.

Model Answers — Conditional

High-scoring sample answers for conditional on the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 paper, with examiner-style notes mapping each response to the mark scheme and assessment objectives.

Question 1
Paper 3 (Speaking) style. Role-play in a restaurant: order politely and ask for the bill, using the conditional throughout.
Model answer
Bonjour ! Je voudrais une table pour deux personnes, s'il vous plaît. (Hello! I would like a table for two people, please.)

Je voudrais le menu, et je prendrais le poulet. (I would like the menu, and I would have the chicken.)

Pourriez-vous m'apporter l'addition, s'il vous plaît ? (Could you bring me the bill, please?)
Why this scores
Why this scores. Three conditional structures show range: je voudrais (I would like), je prendrais (I would have/take, from prendre), and the polite question pourriez-vous (could you, from pouvoir). Using the conditional rather than the blunt je veux is exactly the politeness Paper 3 rewards.
Question 2
Paper 4 (Writing) style. Write 2-3 sentences about your dream holiday using the conditional and a 'si' sentence.
Model answer
Mon rêve, ce serait de visiter le Canada. (My dream would be to visit Canada.)

J'aimerais voir les montagnes et je ferais beaucoup de randonnées. (I would like to see the mountains and I would do a lot of hiking.)

Si j'avais assez d'argent, je partirais l'été prochain. (If I had enough money, I would leave next summer.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It packs in four conditionals (serait, j'aimerais, je ferais, je partirais) plus a textbook 'si' sentence (si j'avais ... je partirais). The irregular stems ser- (être) and fer- (faire) are correct, and the imperfect avais (not aurais) follows si. This range of tenses is what lifts a Writing answer into the higher band.
Question 3
Paper 3 (Speaking) style. A friend says they are stressed about school. Give them advice using the conditional.
Model answer
Tu devrais te reposer un peu. (You should rest a little.)

Tu pourrais parler à ton professeur. (You could talk to your teacher.)

Si j'étais toi, je ferais une liste de mes devoirs. (If I were you, I would make a list of my homework.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It uses the advice forms tu devrais (you should) and tu pourrais (you could), plus the idiom si j'étais toi, je ferais... (if I were you, I would...) — imperfect étais after si, conditional ferais in the result. Natural, polite advice with correct irregular stems.

Key Definitions and Keywords — Conditional

Definitions to memorise and the exact keywords mark schemes credit for conditional answers — sharpened from recent examiner reports for the 2026 0520 sitting.

le conditionnel
Examiner keyword
The conditional tense — the French equivalent of English 'would'. Used for polite requests, wishes/hypotheticals and advice.
Example
je jouerais (I would play); je voudrais (I would like).
future stem + imperfect endings
Examiner keyword
The formation rule for the conditional: take the future stem (usually the infinitive) and add the imperfect endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
Example
finir → finir- + -ais → je finirais (I would finish).
je voudrais
Examiner keyword
Conditional of vouloir (to want): 'I would like'. The polite way to ask for or wish for something.
Example
Je voudrais un café (I would like a coffee).
tu devrais
Examiner keyword
Conditional of devoir (to have to): 'you should'. The standard way to give advice.
Example
Tu devrais étudier (You should study).
tu pourrais / pourriez-vous
Conditional of pouvoir (to be able): 'you could' / 'could you'. Used for soft suggestions and polite requests.
Example
Pourriez-vous répéter ? (Could you repeat?).
ser- / aur- / ir- / fer-
Examiner keyword
The irregular conditional stems of être (ser-), avoir (aur-), aller (ir-) and faire (fer-). The same stems are used in the future.
Example
je serais (I would be), j'aurais (I would have), j'irais (I would go), je ferais (I would do).
si + imperfect → conditional
Examiner keyword
The hypothetical 'if' sentence pattern: the si (if) clause is in the imperfect, the result clause is in the conditional.
Example
Si j'avais de l'argent, je voyagerais (If I had money, I would travel).
-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient
The six conditional endings (identical to the imperfect endings), the same for every verb whether regular or irregular.
Example
je parlerais, tu parlerais, il parlerait, nous parlerions, vous parleriez, ils parleraient.
conditional vs future
Both tenses share the -r stem; the future means 'will' (-ai/-as/-a), the conditional means 'would' (-ais/-ait/-aient).
Example
je serai (I will be) vs je serais (I would be).
j'aimerais
Conditional of aimer (to like/love): 'I would like/love'. A common way to express wishes and dreams.
Example
J'aimerais visiter Paris (I would like to visit Paris).

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions — Conditional

The traps other students keep falling into on conditional questions — taken from recent Cambridge IGCSE 0520 examiner reports and mark schemes — and how to avoid them.

✕Writing si j'aurais instead of si j'avais in a 'si' sentence
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
Both halves of the sentence feel like 'would', so learners put the conditional after si too.
How to avoid it
After si (if) in a hypothetical sentence, always use the imperfect: si j'avais, si j'étais, si tu pouvais. The conditional goes only in the other half.
✕Confusing the future (je jouerai) with the conditional (je jouerais)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Papers 1 & 4
Why it happens
They share the same -r stem and differ only by one letter (-ai vs -ais) and a subtle sound.
How to avoid it
Translate the English first: 'will' → future (-ai, no -s); 'would' → conditional (-ais, with -s). In listening, future je ...ai is a closed '-ay', conditional je ...ais is an open '-eh'.
✕Building irregular verbs on the infinitive (je avoirais, je êtrais)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
The 'add endings to the infinitive' rule works for regular verbs, so learners over-apply it.
How to avoid it
Memorise the irregular stems as fixed chunks: être → ser- (je serais), avoir → aur- (j'aurais), aller → ir- (j'irais), faire → fer- (je ferais).
✕Dropping the final -s of the je/tu conditional (je voudrai for je voudrais)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy
Why it happens
The -s is silent, so it is easy to forget when writing.
How to avoid it
Remember: 'would' forms (je voudrais, tu devrais) carry the -s; 'will' forms (je voudrai) do not. Check every je/tu ending against the English meaning.
✕Using je veux (I want) instead of je voudrais (I would like) in role-plays
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 3 (Speaking)
Why it happens
Beginners learn je veux first and don't realise it sounds blunt in French.
How to avoid it
For any request or wish, switch to the conditional je voudrais (I would like). Practise it as an automatic phrase before the Speaking exam.

Past paper style quiz

Get a report showing which sub-topics you've nailed and which ones still need work.

English

French

Literally

I would like a coffee

je voudrais un café

I would-want a coffee

She would play tennis

elle jouerait au tennis

she would-play at tennis

We would travel

nous voyagerions

we would-travel

They would be happy

ils seraient contents

they would-be happy

Subject

Ending

Pronounced

-ais

"-eh"

-ais

"-eh"

il / elle / on

-ait

"-eh"

nous

-ions

"-ee-on"

vous

-iez

"-ee-ay"

ils / elles

-aient

"-eh"

Verb

il/elle

nous

ils/elles

jouer (play)

je jouerais

il jouerait

nous jouerions

ils joueraient

finir (finish)

je finirais

il finirait

nous finirions

ils finiraient

vendre (sell)

je vendrais

il vendrait

nous vendrions

ils vendraient

Infinitive

Meaning

Conditional stem

Example

English

être

to be

ser-

je serais

I would be

avoir

to have

aur-

j'aurais

I would have

aller

to go

ir-

j'irais

I would go

faire

to do/make

fer-

je ferais

I would do

vouloir

to want

voudr-

je voudrais

I would like/want

pouvoir

to be able

pourr-

je pourrais

I could / would be able

devoir

to have to

devr-

je devrais

I should / would have to

venir

to come

viendr-

je viendrais

I would come

voir

to see

verr-

je verrais

I would see

savoir

to know

saur-

je saurais

I would know

falloir

to be necessary

faudr-

il faudrait

it would be necessary / one should

The hypothetical 'si' pattern: si + imperfect in the 'if' half, conditional in the result half.

One of the most common places the conditional appears is in 'si' (if) sentences about imaginary situations. The pattern is fixed and easy:

Si + imperfect, ... conditional.

Si j'avais le temps, je lirais plus. — If I had the time, I would read more.
Si nous étions riches, nous achèterions une maison. — If we were rich, we would buy a house.
Si tu travaillais plus, tu réussirais. — If you worked harder, you would succeed.

A very common trap: never put the conditional directly after si in these sentences. Say si j'avais (imperfect), not si j'aurais (conditional). This is a real and frequent error.

Future ("will")

Conditional ("would")

je jouerai ("-ay")

je jouerais ("-eh")

tu joueras

tu jouerais

il jouera

il jouerait

nous

nous jouerons

nous jouerions

vous

vous jouerez

vous joueriez

ils

ils joueront

ils joueraient

Conditional

Detailed Notes

What you’ll learn

How it’s examined

1Build the conditional of a regular -er verb

2Make a polite request with the conditional

3Give advice using devoir and pouvoir

4Complete a 'si' (if) sentence

5Choose between future and conditional

le conditionnel

future stem + imperfect endings

je voudrais

tu devrais

tu pourrais / pourriez-vous

ser- / aur- / ir- / fer-

si + imperfect → conditional

-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient

conditional vs future

j'aimerais

✕Writing si j'aurais instead of si j'avais in a 'si' sentence

✕Confusing the future (je jouerai) with the conditional (je jouerais)

✕Building irregular verbs on the infinitive (je avoirais, je êtrais)

✕Dropping the final -s of the je/tu conditional (je voudrai for je voudrais)

✕Using je veux (I want) instead of je voudrais (I would like) in role-plays

Past paper style quiz

Conditional

Detailed Notes

What you’ll learn

How it’s examined

1Build the conditional of a regular -er verb

2Make a polite request with the conditional

3Give advice using devoir and pouvoir

4Complete a 'si' (if) sentence

5Choose between future and conditional

le conditionnel

future stem + imperfect endings

je voudrais

tu devrais

tu pourrais / pourriez-vous

ser- / aur- / ir- / fer-

si + imperfect → conditional

-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient

conditional vs future

j'aimerais

✕Writing si j'aurais instead of si j'avais in a 'si' sentence

✕Confusing the future (je jouerai) with the conditional (je jouerais)

✕Building irregular verbs on the infinitive (je avoirais, je êtrais)

✕Dropping the final -s of the je/tu conditional (je voudrai for je voudrais)

✕Using je veux (I want) instead of je voudrais (I would like) in role-plays

Past paper style quiz