Conditionals — Grammaire B2

La carte complète des conditionnels

Zero (vérités), first (futur réel), second (irréel présent) — et le nouveau : third conditional, l’irréel du passé.

If I had known, I would have called you. (Si j’avais su, je t’aurais appelé.)

Le calque est parfait : plus-que-parfait → past perfect ; conditionnel passé → would have + participe.

Third conditional : formation

If + past perfect, would have + participe passé.

If you had studied, you would have passed.

She wouldn’t have missed the train if she had left earlier.

Contractions : If I’d known, I’d have called. (’d = had / ’d = would !)

Could have, might have

Dans la principale : could have (aurait pu), might have (aurait peut-être).

If we had left earlier, we could have caught the train.

If you had asked, he might have said yes.

Les conditionnels mixtes (aperçu)

Passé irréel → conséquence présente : if + past perfect, would + base.

If I had taken that job, I would be in New York now. (Si j’avais pris ce poste, je serais à New York maintenant.)

Le chapitre Mixed Conditionals y revient en détail.

Récapitulatif des quatre

Choisir le bon conditionnel = situer la condition dans le temps et le réel.

0 : If you heat water, it boils. · 1 : If it rains, we’ll stay in.

2 : If I had time, I would help. · 3 : If I had known, I would have called.

Erreurs typiques

Les pièges classiques pour les francophones

Voici les erreurs que les francophones font le plus souvent sur ce point.

If I would have known, I would have called.

→

If I had known, I would have called.

Jamais would après if — y compris au troisième conditionnel.

If you had studied, you would pass. (regret du passé)

→

If you had studied, you would have passed.

Conséquence passée → would HAVE + participe.

If I’d known... : ’d = would ?

→

If I'd known : ’d = had

Après if, ’d = had ; dans la principale, ’d = would. Le participe qui suit aide à trancher.

She would have miss the train.

→

She would have missed the train.

Would have + participe passé : missed.

Si j’avais su ! → If I have known!

→

If I had known! / If only I’d known!

Plus-que-parfait → past perfect : had known.

Récapitulatif : Conditionals

Third conditional

if + past perfect, would have + pp

If I had known, I would have called.

Aurait pu

could have + pp

we could have caught it

Aurait peut-être

might have + pp

he might have said yes

Mixte

if + past perfect, would + base

...I would be in NY now.

Rappel

0/1/2 : voir B1

If it rains, we’ll stay in.

Aux exercices →

Conditionals — Le troisième conditionnel et la révision