Posted by Aurélie Drouard

In: Level B1, Verbs Tenses & Conjugation, Conditionnel Présent, Verbe irrégulier

The verb avoir in Conditionnel Présent uses the same irregular stem as in Futur Simple : aur-

Have a look at these sentences:

J'aurais une grande maison si j'en avais les moyens.I would have a big house if I could afford it.

Tu aurais du feu?Would you have a light?

Elle aurait cinquante ans aujourd'hui.She would be fifty now.

Nous aurions froid sans nos manteaux.We would be cold without our coats.

Vous auriez de la monnaie?Would you have some change?

Ils auraient de la chance si cela arrivait.They would be lucky if that happened..

Here's how to form the Conditionnel Présent of avoir:

aur- + endings of Imparfait: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient

The je form has the same pronunciation as in Futur Simple. Look for the context : I will have vs I would have !

Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Examples and resources

Elle aurait cinquante ans aujourd'hui.She would be fifty now.

Tu aurais du feu?Would you have a light?

Nous aurions froid sans nos manteaux.We would be cold without our coats.

J'aurais une grande maison si j'en avais les moyens.I would have a big house if I could afford it.

Ils auraient de la chance si cela arrivait.They would be lucky if that happened..

Vous auriez de la monnaie?Would you have some change?

Q&A Forum 8 questions, 16 answers

TimB1Kwiziq community member

Is the pronunciation of j’aurais and j’aurai identical in French spoken in Canada? I thought that some regions -ai = é and -ais = è.

Asked 1 year ago

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Tim asked:View original

Is the pronunciation of j’aurais and j’aurai identical in French spoken in Canada? I thought that some regions -ai = é and -ais = è.

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DavidC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Mangeons-en vs allez-vous en

The lesson shows us "mangeons-en" and I know that "allez-vous en" is a valid sentence. Both are imperative. Why the difference in construction? Why is it not "mangeons-nous en" or "allez-en"? It is just that "allez-vous en" is an idiom or there some underlying graammatical rule?

Asked 1 year ago

Like0Answer2

AlanC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

The difference is that "allez-vous en" comes from a reflexive verb: s'en aller = to go away

See these lessons:

S'en aller = To leave

Forming affirmative commands with reflexive verbs (L'Impératif)

Like01 year ago

DavidC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Yes I see. Thank you.

Like01 year ago

David asked:View original

Mangeons-en vs allez-vous en

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JohannaA2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Lag time on second question

i had several instances where tapping normally would not go to second question but increased tapping bypassed it altogether so I got a not completed score. Why is that?

Asked 1 year ago

Like0Answer3

SimonKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi Joanna, we're not aware of any general issues with the MicroKwiz so will have to look into your specific set up. I'm going to transfer this to our helpdesk so we can better track the issue this area is better for language questions.

Like01 year ago

GruffKwiziq team member

Hi Johanna - I'm not quite following what you mean. Could you expand and provide a little more context? Thanks.

Like01 year ago

JohannaA2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

I had answered the first of the two quiz questions and tapped Next. Nothing happened. I tried again. Nothing. By the time i tried it a third time, it bypassed the second question and treated it as i submitted the quiz with only one question answered.

Like01 year ago

Johanna asked:View original

Lag time on second question

i had several instances where tapping normally would not go to second question but increased tapping bypassed it altogether so I got a not completed score. Why is that?

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StevenB1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

I would have a big house if I could afford it

"J'aurais une grande maison si j'en avais les moyens"

Why is the imparfait "avais" used here? "Could" is conditional, so why are we not using "pourrais" here?

Asked 1 year ago

Like0Answer4

CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi Steven ,

In English, 'could' can be used as a past tense as well as a conditional so can also mean 'was able to'. Look at the following examples:

I could hear Robert play the flute in the next room.

Mozart could play the piano blindfolded.

I could leave work early today as I had a doctor's appointment.

In all these cases 'could' can be replaced 'was able' or 'was allowed' in the last sentence.

This is the case in the example you mention -

I would have a big house if I was able to afford it.

Hope this helps!

Like01 year ago

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi steven,

French follows its own rules, and translating from English 1:1 won't always land you on the mark.

The rule for "If"-sentence can be summarized like this:

Case 1: expressing a possibility in the present
Si clause: present tense; main clause: present tense or future tense
Si tu veux tu peux le faire. -- If you want, you can do it.
Si j'ai de l'argent, je acheterai une voiture. -- If I have money I will by a car.

Case 2: expressing an unlikely possibility in the presen
Si clause: imparfait; main clause: conditionnel présent
Si j'avais de l'argent, j'acheterais une voiture. -- If I had money, I would by a car.

Case 3: expressing a missed possibility in the past
Si clause: plus-que parfait; main clause: conditionnel passé
Si j'avais eu de l'argent, j'aurais acheté une voitre. -- If I had had money, I would have bought a car.

I hope that helps, -- Chris (not a native speaker).

Like01 year ago

StevenB1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Hi Cécile,

That did help. Thank you! :)

Like01 year ago

StevenB1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Chris,

That was a nice breakdown and it made a lot of sense. Thank you!

Like01 year ago

Steven asked:View original

I would have a big house if I could afford it

"J'aurais une grande maison si j'en avais les moyens"

Why is the imparfait "avais" used here? "Could" is conditional, so why are we not using "pourrais" here?

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HelenA2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

They would be lucky: "ils auraeints de la chance"

I saw the avoir verb used here: "ils auraeints de la chance." Why not use etre ("would be"): Ils seraient de la chance. Is it a rule that the avoir verb always used with luck versus the etre verb?

Asked 2 years ago

Like0Answer2

RonC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Bonsoir Helen, This question continues to pop-up de temps en temps. While in English we say «he/she is lucky» using the French equivalent of «être»; however, if you want to say that someone is lucky, you must use the verb «avoir». This is one a several French idioms with the verb «avoir». So, here is the lesson about these idioms: Avoir raison / tort / de la chance = To be right / wrong / lucky In fact, here is another link on this site with several more French idioms: Avoir raison / tort / de la chance = To be right / wrong / lucky In fact, in order to say that «they would be lucky» as in «they would be lucky playing the Lotto» one would state «ils auraient de la chance de jouer au Loto». J'espère que ma réponse vous aidera. Bonne chance et bonne continuation dans vos études en français, la langue de Molière et qui a été utilisé par le monde depuis l’époque d’Hugues Capet

Like02 years ago

JohannaA2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

i believe so. « Avoir de la chance »= to be lucky.

Like01 year ago

Helen asked:View original

They would be lucky: "ils auraeints de la chance"

I saw the avoir verb used here: "ils auraeints de la chance." Why not use etre ("would be"): Ils seraient de la chance. Is it a rule that the avoir verb always used with luck versus the etre verb?

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MartinB1Kwiziq community member

Use of "en"

I don't really understand why "en" is used in this example, even after having reviewed the lesson you mention. Where does "de" come into it? "If I had a house", for example, would be "Si j'avais une maison" - not "Si j'en avais une maison, surely? In this case, the use of "en" seems to be rather random!

Asked 2 years ago

Like1Answer3

AurélieKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour Martin !

Here it's because the full expression would be "avoir les moyens de [faire quelque chose]" = to have the means to [do something].

I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !

Like02 years ago

AurélieKwiziq team member

Bonjour Martin ! Could you please send me the sentence you're referring to? I'd be happy to assist :) À bientôt !

Like02 years ago

MartinB1Kwiziq community member

Merci Aurélie. The sentence is : "J'aurais une grande maison si j'en avais les moyens." I understand the use of "en" where "de..." occurs before, but that doesn't appear to be the case here. Cordialement - Martin

Like02 years ago

Martin asked:View original

Use of "en"

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DoraidaC1Kwiziq community member

J'aurais une grande maison si j'en avais les moyens. In this sentence which is the meaning of "en"

if it is "some" I think I need "a lot"

Asked 3 years ago

Like0Answer1

LauraKwiziq team member

Bonjour Doraida, If you didn't use en, the sentence would be something like "J'aurais une grande maison si j'avais les moyens d'avoir une grande maison." En replaces de and everything after it. Here's a lesson you might find useful: En can replace de + phrase (adverbial pronoun)

Like23 years ago

Doraida asked:View original

J'aurais une grande maison si j'en avais les moyens. In this sentence which is the meaning of "en"

if it is "some" I think I need "a lot"

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SarahC1Kwiziq community member

adjectives before a noun or after noun

Asked 4 years ago

Like0Answer1

LauraKwiziq team member

Bonjour Sarah, It depends on the adjective. Please take a look at this lesson and the other lessons linked on the bottom: https://www.french-test.com/my-languages/french/view/118

Like04 years ago

Sarah asked:View original

adjectives before a noun or after noun

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Conjugate avoir in le Conditionnel Présent (conditional mood)

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Conditionnel Présent

Verbe irrégulier

Examples and resources

Q&A Forum 8 questions, 16 answers

Is the pronunciation of j’aurais and j’aurai identical in French spoken in Canada? I thought that some regions -ai = é and -ais = è.

Is the pronunciation of j’aurais and j’aurai identical in French spoken in Canada? I thought that some regions -ai = é and -ais = è.

Mangeons-en vs allez-vous en

Mangeons-en vs allez-vous en

Lag time on second question

Lag time on second question

I would have a big house if I could afford it

I would have a big house if I could afford it

They would be lucky: "ils auraeints de la chance"

They would be lucky: "ils auraeints de la chance"

Use of "en"

Use of "en"

J'aurais une grande maison si j'en avais les moyens. In this sentence which is the meaning of "en"

J'aurais une grande maison si j'en avais les moyens. In this sentence which is the meaning of "en"

adjectives before a noun or after noun

adjectives before a noun or after noun

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