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

2275 Views

See similar French A Level tutors

Related French A Level answers

All answers ▸

When should I use the subjunctive?


How do I know whether to use 'qui' or 'que'?


Which preposition do I use with countries?


The distinction between the imperfect tense and the passé composé


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences