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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb composer

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The English translation of the French verb composer is “to compose.” It is pronounced as “kom-po-zay.”

The word “composer” comes from the Latin word “componere,” meaning “to put together.” In French, it is most often used as a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object. In everyday French, it can be used in many different contexts, such as music, writing, or creating something new.

The Conditionnel Passé tense is used to express a hypothetical past action or event. It is formed by using the conditional form of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” followed by the past participle of the main verb.

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

  1. J’aurais composé une chanson pour toi. (I would have composed a song for you.)
  2. Tu aurais composé un poème magnifique. (You would have composed a beautiful poem.)
  3. Ils seraient composés de plusieurs mouvements. (They would have been composed of several movements.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je aurais composé Si j’avais eu le temps, je t’aurais composé un poème. I would have composed a poem for you if I had had time.
tu aurais composé Tu aurais composé une belle chanson. You would have composed a beautiful song.
il aurait composé Il aurait composé une musique originale. He would have composed an original music.
elle aurait composé Elle aurait composé son propre livre. She would have composed her own book.
on aurait composé On aurait composé une pièce de théâtre ensemble. One would have composed a play together.
nous aurions composé Nous aurions composé des chansons ensemble. We would have composed songs together.
vous auriez composé Vous auriez composé une symphonie magnifique. You would have composed a beautiful symphony.
ils auraient composé Ils auraient composé une bande sonore. They would have composed a soundtrack.
elles auraient composé Elles auraient composé une poésie enflammée. They (female) would have composed a passionate poem.

Other Conjugations for Composer.

    

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb composer
     

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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Composer – 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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