Le Conditionnel Passé — j’aurais fait | French Grammar
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j’aurais aimé… — the tense of regret & reproach. This guide explains Le Conditionnel Passé in French with clear rules, real examples and practice for every CEFR level. For instance: « j’aurais fait » — I would have done.
Le Conditionnel Passé
j’aurais aimé… — the tense of regret & reproach
1. La formation (= conditionnel présent of aux + past participle)
| Formule | Exemple | Anglais |
|---|---|---|
| conditionnel de avoir/être + participe | j’aurais fait | I would have done |
| avec avoir | tu aurais aimé | you would have liked |
| avec être (+ accord) | elle serait venue | she would have come |
| pronominal | je me serais trompé | I would have been wrong |
2. Les 4 emplois
| Emploi | Exemple | Sens |
|---|---|---|
| le regret | J’aurais aimé être là. | I wish I’d been there |
| le reproche | Tu aurais dû me prévenir ! | You should have warned me! |
| l’hypothèse passée | Si j’avais su, je serais resté. | If I’d known, I’d have stayed |
| l’info non confirmée | Le suspect aurait fui. | The suspect reportedly fled |
3. Le combo hypothèse (3e type) (the unrealised past)
| Si + … | Résultat | Exemple |
|---|---|---|
| si + plus-que-parfait | conditionnel passé | Si tu avais révisé, tu aurais réussi. |
💡 Pourquoi c’est du B2
aurais dû / aurais pu / aurais voulu + infinitif = the trio for regret and reproach: « tu aurais pu appeler » (you could have called).
Pairs with the plus-que-parfait in « si » sentences: si + avais eu… , aurais… — always this combo for the past hypothesis.
Journalists love the conditionnel for unconfirmed news: « il y aurait des blessés » = there are reportedly casualties.
Agreement still applies with être: « elle serait partie » (feminine + e).
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🔊 Example sentences
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I would have done = j’___ fait (conditionnel of avoir)
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aurais
you should have called = tu aurais ___ appeler (reproach trio)
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dû
if I had known… (si + ?) = si j’___ su (plus-que-parfait)
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avais
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🎯 More practice — translation — put it into French
Translate into French: « I would have loved to come, but I was working. » (translation)
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J’aurais adoré venir, mais je travaillais.
Translate into French: « You should have told me sooner! » (translation)
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Tu aurais dû me le dire plus tôt !
Translate into French: « If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come. » (translation)
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Si j’avais su, je ne serais pas venu.
Go further: Le Plus-que-parfait — the past before the past.
Le Conditionnel Passé in French — FAQ
How do you use Le Conditionnel Passé in French?
j’aurais aimé… — the tense of regret & reproach. Follow the rules and patterns in the lesson above, and practise with real sentences like « j’aurais fait » (I would have done).
Can you give an example of Le Conditionnel Passé in French?
Yes — « j’aurais fait » means « I would have done », and « tu aurais aimé » means « you would have liked ». The lesson above has many more examples with explanations.
What CEFR level is Le Conditionnel Passé?
This topic is introduced around B2 and refined at higher levels — pick your level from the links at the top of the page. You can also drill it with the interactive exercises and games below.
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5 quick questions on « Le Conditionnel Passé » — guess before the reveal. Practise with the free games → Open this short as a page — transcript included →