Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb apprécier

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The English translation of the French verb apprécier is “to appreciate” or “to value”. It is pronounced as “ah-pray-see-yay”.

The verb apprécier comes from the Latin word appretiare, meaning “to appraise” or “to estimate”. It entered the French language in the 15th century and its meaning has evolved over time to include the idea of appreciation and gratitude.

In everyday French, apprécier is most often used in the Conditionnel Passé tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action that would have taken place in the past. This tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” in the Conditionnel Présent tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Here are 3 simple examples of apprécier in the Conditionnel Passé tense:

  1. J’aurais apprécié ton aide hier soir. (I would have appreciated your help last night.)
  2. Elle aurait apprécié un peu plus de temps pour terminer son projet. (She would have appreciated a little more time to finish her project.)
  3. Nous serions appréciés tes conseils pendant nos vacances. (We would have appreciated your advice during our vacation.)

In each of these examples, the verb apprécier is used to express an action or feeling that would have occurred in the past if certain conditions had been met. The verb is often used in a polite or grateful manner, as in the first and third examples, where the speaker is expressing gratitude. In the second example, the verb is used to express a desire or wish for a different outcome.

Table of the Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of apprécier

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je aurais apprécié Si j’avais su, je t’aurais apprécié. I would have appreciated you.
tu aurais apprécié Tu aurais apprécié le cadeau. You would have appreciated the gift.
il aurait apprécié Il aurait apprécié ton aide. He would have appreciated your help.
elle aurait apprécié Elle aurait apprécié la musique. She would have appreciated the music.
on aurait apprécié On aurait apprécié ta présence. One would have appreciated your presence.
nous aurions apprécié Nous aurions apprécié la vue. We would have appreciated the view.
vous auriez apprécié Vous auriez apprécié cette expérience. You would have appreciated this experience.
ils auraient apprécié Ils auraient apprécié leur voyage. They would have appreciated their trip.
elles auraient apprécié Elles auraient apprécié le spectacle. They (female) would have appreciated the show.

Other Conjugations for Apprécier.

    

    Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
     

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
     

    Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
     

    Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
     

    Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
     

    Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
     

    Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
     

    Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier

    Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier

    Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier

    Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
     

    Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier

    Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
     

    Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
     

    Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier  (this article)

    L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier

    L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier


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Apprécier – About the French Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense

The French “Conditionnel Passé” is a compound tense used to express hypothetical or unreal actions in the past. It is formed by combining the conditional of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” and the past participle of the main verb.

NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see my article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation

Start with the conditional of the auxiliary verb: For most verbs, use “aurais” (for “avoir”) or “serais” (for “être”) as the conditional form. 

With “avoir”: j’aurais, tu aurais, il/elle/on aurait, nous aurions, vous auriez, ils/elles auraient. 
With “être”: je serais, tu serais, il/elle/on serait, nous serions, vous seriez, ils/elles seraient. 

Add the past participle of the main verb to this conditional form. 
For example, if you want to say “I would have done,” you would use “j’aurais fait.” If you want to say “She would have gone,” you would use “elle serait allée.”

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

Expressing Unreal Past Scenarios

The Conditionnel Passé is often used to talk about actions that did not happen in the past, but you are speculating about what would have occurred if they had. It’s a way to discuss hypothetical situations in the past. 

Si j’avais su, je t’aurais aidé. (If I had known, I would have helped you.)
Il serait venu s’il avait eu le temps. (He would have come if he had had the time.) 

Polite Requests or Suggestions

It can be used to make polite requests or suggestions in the past. 

Pourriez-vous m’aider, s’il vous plaît ? (Could you have helped me, please?) 

Expressing Doubt or Uncertainty

It can convey doubt or uncertainty regarding past events.

Il aurait peut-être oublié notre rendez-vous. (He might have forgotten our appointment.)

Interactions with Other Tenses

Conditional Present

You can use the Conditionnel Passé in combination with the conditional present to describe past actions that were hypothetical at the time they were spoken about. J’aurais aimé que tu m’appelles hier. (I would have liked you to call me yesterday.) 

Indicative Past Tenses

You might use the Conditionnel Passé alongside indicative past tenses like the passé composé to contrast hypothetical and real past events. Il est venu hier, mais s’il avait pu, il serait venu la semaine dernière. (He came yesterday, but if he could have, he would have come last week.) 

Conditional Future

In some cases, you can use the Conditionnel Passé in combination with the conditional future to discuss unreal past events that could have consequences in the future. Si j’avais réussi mon examen, j’aurais un meilleur travail. (If I had passed my exam, I would have a better job.)

Summary

In summary, the Conditionnel Passé is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions in the past. It is often used in conjunction with other tenses to convey various nuances in French, allowing speakers to discuss imaginary past scenarios, make polite requests, or express doubt about past events.

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