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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb comparer

Get the Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) tense conjugation of comparer. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb comparer is “to compare.” It is pronounced as “kom-pa-rey” in its infinitive form.

The word comparer comes from the Latin root word “comparare,” meaning “to pair or match.” It entered the French language during the Middle Ages and has been in use since then.

In everyday French, the verb comparer is most often used in the Conditionnel Présent tense, which expresses a possible or hypothetical action in the present. It is commonly used to make comparisons or express preferences.

Examples:

  1. Si je gagnais à la loterie, je comparerais les différents prix de voitures avant d’en acheter une. (If I won the lottery, I would compare the different car prices before buying one.)
  2. Nous comparerions les deux candidats avant de prendre une décision finale. (We would compare the two candidates before making a final decision.)
  3. Tu préférerais quel type de musique si tu devais choisir ? Je comparerais la musique classique et le jazz avant de te répondre. (What type of music would you prefer if you had to choose? I would compare classical music and jazz before answering you.)

In all of these examples, the verb comparer is conjugated in the Conditionnel Présent tense and is used to express a hypothetical comparison or preference.

English translations:

  1. If I won the lottery, I would compare the different car prices before buying one.
  2. We would compare the two candidates before making a final decision.
  3. What type of music would you prefer if you had to choose? I would compare classical music and jazz before answering you.

Table of the Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of comparer

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je comparerais Je comparerais les prix. I would compare prices.
tu comparerais Tu comparerais mieux. You would compare better.
il comparerait Il comparerait les modèles. He would compare models.
elle comparerait Elle comparerait les offres. She would compare offers.
on comparerait On comparerait les avantages. One would compare advantages.
nous comparerions Nous comparerions les produits. We would compare products.
vous compareriez Vous compareriez les services. You would compare services.
ils compareraient Ils compareraient les options. They would compare options.
elles compareraient Elles compareraient les marques. They would compare brands.

Other Conjugations for Comparer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb comparer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb comparer (this article)

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

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

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

    Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!
   

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the comparer Conditionnel Présent tense conjugation!

Comparer – About the French Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense

The French “Conditionnel Présent” tense, often called the present conditional tense in English, is used to express actions or events that are considered hypothetical, possible, or uncertain in the present or future. It’s the equivalent of “would” or “could” in English.

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

Formation

To form the Conditionnel Présent tense for regular verbs, you take the infinitive form of the verb and add the appropriate endings. For example, using the verb “parler” (to speak): 

Je parlerais (I would speak) 
Tu parlerais (You would speak)
Il/elle/on parlerait (He/she/one would speak)
Nous parlerions (We would speak) 
Vous parleriez (You would speak)
Ils/elles parleraient (They would speak) 

Note – For irregular verbs, the stem might change, so you need to memorize the conjugation.

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

Expressing Polite Requests

The Conditionnel Présent is often used to make polite requests or suggestions. Instead of using the imperative, which can be more direct, the conditional is softer and more courteous. For example: “Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît” (I would like a coffee, please). 

Expressing Hypothetical Situations

It’s used to talk about hypothetical or unreal situations. For instance, “Si j’avais de l’argent, j’achèterais une nouvelle voiture” (If I had money, I would buy a new car). 

Expressing Doubt or Uncertainty

The conditional can convey doubt or uncertainty about something in the present or future. “Il serait peut-être en retard” (He might be late).

Interactions with Other Tenses

Present Tense

The Conditionnel Présent is often used with the present tense to express hypothetical or conditional statements. For example, “Si tu viens demain, nous irons au cinéma” (If you come tomorrow, we will go to the movies). 

Past Tense

The Conditionnel Présent can also be used with past tenses like the imparfait to indicate a past hypothetical action. For instance, “J’aurais aimé être là hier” (I would have liked to be there yesterday). 

Future Tense

The Conditionnel Présent can be combined with the future tense to indicate future actions that are dependent on certain conditions. For example, “Il viendrait si tu l’invitais” (He would come if you invited him).
 

Conditional Perfect

If you want to express a hypothetical action in the past that didn’t happen, you can use the Conditionnel Présent with the past participle to form the conditional perfect. For example, “Il aurait fini son travail s’il n’était pas tombé malade” (He would have finished his work if he hadn’t gotten sick).

Summary

The Conditionnel Présent is a versatile tense in French, allowing speakers to discuss possibilities, hypothetical scenarios, and make polite requests. It’s essential to understand its usage patterns and how it interacts with other tenses to communicate effectively in various situations.

Want More?

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb comparer. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

Similar Posts