What's the difference between subjunctive and conditional moods?

We would use the subjunctive tense when talking about an event which is uncertain, possibilities. For example: "Il est possible qu'il soit là demain" (it's possible that he will be there tomorrow) here we would use the subjunctive "soit" because it is uncertain whether or not he will be there.The conditional is used when talking about events that are uncertain, but events that would definitely occur depending on something else. For example: "Il aurait été là hier, s'il ne pleuvait pas". (He would have been there yesterday, had it not rained.) In this case, him being there was exclusively dependant on it not raining. Had it not rained, he would definitely have been there.

IR
Answered by Isabel R. French tutor

2969 Views

See similar French A Level tutors

Related French A Level answers

All answers ▸

Comprehension of a text followed by questions


How can we write a good essay about the selected piece of A-Level Literature e.g. L'etranger by Albert Camus?


When to use the pronouns 'y' and 'en'?


Translate this article to fench


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning