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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb constater

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The English translation of the French verb constater is “to note” or “to observe.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “koh-stah-teh.”

The word constater comes from the Latin verb constare, meaning “to stand firm” or “to be consistent.” In everyday French, constater is used to express the act of noting or recognizing something, often in a formal or official context.

In the Conditionnel Passé tense, constater is often used to express a hypothetical situation in the past, where the speaker is imagining or speculating about something that may have happened. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. J’aurais constaté la présence de nouveaux éléments dans le dossier. (I would have noted the presence of new evidence in the file.)
  2. Les scientifiques auraient constaté une augmentation de la température moyenne. (Scientists would have observed an increase in average temperature.)
  3. Si tu avais écouté mes conseils, tu aurais constaté une amélioration de ta santé. (If you had listened to my advice, you would have noticed an improvement in your health.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je aurais constaté Si j’avais été là, j’aurais constaté l’accident. If I had been there, I would have noticed the accident.
tu aurais constaté Tu aurais constaté le problème. You would have observed the problem.
il aurait constaté Il aurait constaté la présence de la pollution. He would have observed the presence of pollution.
elle aurait constaté Elle aurait constaté les dégâts causés par la tempête. She would have noted the damage caused by the storm.
on aurait constaté On aurait constaté l’augmentation du taux de chômage. One would have noticed the increase in unemployment rate.
nous aurions constaté Nous aurions constaté la diminution des ressources naturelles. We would have observed the decrease in natural resources.
vous auriez constaté Vous auriez constaté les changements dans le quartier. You would have noticed the changes in the neighborhood.
ils auraient constaté Ils auraient constaté l’impact de la pollution sur l’environnement. They would have observed the impact of pollution on the environment.
elles auraient constaté Elles auraient constaté l’absence de progrès dans la société. They (female) would have noted the lack of progress in society.

Other Conjugations for Constater.

    

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb constater
     

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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Constater – 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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