LVC: Le conditionnel de politesse

Le conditionnel de politesse

Explication - In English we use "I would like" instead of saying "I want" to make a request polite. The same is true in French. We use le conditionnel de politesse (the conditional). Here are two verbs (vouloir and pouvoir) conjugated in the conditional. You use the conditional of these verbs to be polite, especially in shopping situations. The French are generally quite formal and civilities are very important to them.

Vouloir - to want
Review: Present		Conditional
veux	voulons	voudrais	voudrions
veux	voulez	voudrais	voudriez
veut	veulent	voudrait	voudraient
Je veux une crêpe.		Je voudrais une crêpe.
I want a crepe.		I would like a crepe.

Pouloir - to be able to, can
Review: Present		Conditional
peux	pouvons	pourrais	pourrions
peux	pouvez	pourrais	pourriez
peut	peuvent	pourrait	pourraient
Je peux avoir une crêpe ?		Pourrais-je avoir une crêpe ?
Can I have a crepe?		Could I have a crepe?

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Conditional Forms - Pouvoir

Below are the conditional forms of pouvoir. You can listen to the forms of the conditional below: repeat what you hear to practice saying these forms. The forms are pronounced in the order: Singular 1st, 2nd, 3rd person; Plural 1st, 2nd, 3rd person. 

Conditional Forms: Pouvoir
Singular		Plural
je	pourrais	nous	pourrions
tu	pourrais	vous	pourriez
il/elle/on	pourrait	ils/elles	pourraient

Conditional Forms - Vouloir

Below are the conditional forms of vouloir. You can listen to the forms of the conditional below: repeat what you hear to practice saying these forms. The forms are pronounced in the order: Singular 1st, 2nd, 3rd person; Plural 1st, 2nd, 3rd person. 

Conditional Forms: Vouloir
Singular		Plural
je	voudrais	nous	voudrions
tu	voudrais	vous	voudriez
il/elle/on	voudrait	ils/elles	voudraient

Practice Activities

Activity 1:

Activity 2: