French B1: Would: the conditional · Words

The conditional takes the future stem and the imparfait endings: je parlerais, tu finirais, il ferait, nous serions. Use it to be polite (Je voudrais un café), to give advice (Tu devrais dormir), and to talk about what would happen: Avec plus de temps, je voyagerais.

• je voudrais — I would like
• tu devrais — you should
• pourriez-vous — could you (polite)
• à ta place — if I were you
• le conseil — piece of advice
• le rêve — dream
• volontiers — gladly
• imaginer — to imagine

• Je voudrais réserver une table. — I’d like to book a table.
• Tu devrais l’appeler. — You should call him.
• Ce serait génial! — That would be great!
• À ta place, je n’irais pas. — If I were you, I wouldn’t go.