Cheat sheet

Regrets and what-ifs: cheat sheet

The summary, key terms and the trap to avoid for every lesson, in order. Print it, or read it, cover it, and say it back.

Mission: talk about a decision you regret B2 · Regrets and what-ifs

Past conditional = conditional of avoir or être + past participle: j'aurais fini, elle serait partie.
Auxiliary choice and agreement are the same as in the passé composé.
J'aurais dû = I should have; tu aurais pu = you could have (a reproach).
J'aurais aimé / voulu / préféré = I would have liked / preferred; after que, use the subjunctive.
The present conditional (je devrais, tu pourrais) is about now or later, not used for regrets.

le conditionnel passé: the past conditional
j'aurais dû: I should have
tu aurais pu: you could have
j'aurais aimé / voulu: I would have liked
regretter: to regret
reprocher: to reproach
un regret: a regret
un reproche: a reproach

Watch out: Using the wrong auxiliary or an infinitive instead of the participle: ~~wrong: j'aurais allé~~, ~~wrong: je serais fait~~, ~~wrong: elle aurait partie~~. The auxiliary follows the passé composé rule: je serais allé(e), j'aurais fait, elle serait partie.

Mission: imagine how your life could have gone B2 · Regrets and what-ifs

Past hypothesis: si + plus-que-parfait → past conditional (si j'avais su, je ne serais pas venu).
Mixed hypothesis: si + plus-que-parfait → present conditional, with a present result (aujourd'hui).
Never a conditional right after si in an if-clause.
The clauses can swap: je ne serais pas venu si j'avais su; si + il → s'il.
« Si j'avais su ! » alone expresses regret.

si j'avais su: if I had known
une hypothèse: a hypothesis
la condition: the condition (the si clause)
le résultat: the result
mixte: mixed (past condition, present result)
aujourd'hui: today
si seulement: if only
s'il: if he (si + il)

Watch out: Putting the conditional after si: ~~wrong: Si j'aurais su, je ne serais pas venu~~. It belongs in the result clause: si j'avais su, je ne serais pas venu.

Mission: thank and reassure a friend after an event B2 · Regrets and what-ifs

Past subjunctive = subjunctive of avoir or être + participle: que j'aie fini, qu'elle soit venue.
Use it after the usual triggers (feelings, regret, doubt, bien que) for a completed action.
Present subjunctive: same time or later. Past subjunctive: earlier, finished.
Auxiliary and agreement are the same as in the passé composé; negation wraps the auxiliary.
One subject: prefer the past infinitive (je suis content d'être venu).

le subjonctif passé: the past subjunctive
que j'aie / que tu aies: avoir in the subjunctive
que je sois / que tu sois: être in the subjunctive
je suis ravi que: I'm delighted that
je regrette que: I regret that
bien que: although
c'est dommage que: it's a shame that
je doute que: I doubt that

Watch out: Using the indicative or the present subjunctive for a completed action after a feeling: ~~wrong: je suis ravi que tu es venu~~, ~~wrong: je suis ravi que tu viennes hier~~. For a finished action, use que tu sois venu.

Mission: plan a project with deadlines B2 · Regrets and what-ifs

Futur antérieur = future of avoir or être + participle: j'aurai fini, elle sera arrivée.
After quand, lorsque, dès que, aussitôt que and une fois que, it marks the action finished first.
The main verb is in the futur simple: quand j'aurai fini, je t'appellerai.
Deadlines: d'ici vendredi, j'aurai terminé.
A guess about the past: il aura oublié.

le futur antérieur: the future perfect
d'ici vendredi: by Friday
dès que / aussitôt que: as soon as
une fois que: once
quand / lorsque: when
avoir fini: to have finished
la date limite: the deadline
l'échéance: the deadline, the due date

Watch out: Using the passé composé before a future main verb. Quand j'ai fini, je t'appellerai is heard in informal speech, but the exact, standard choice is the futur antérieur: quand j'aurai fini, je t'appellerai.