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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb controverser

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The English translation of the French verb controverser is “to debate” or “to argue”. It is pronounced as “kohn-troh-ver-seh”.

The word controverser comes from the Latin word controversia, which means “dispute” or “controversy”. It entered the French language in the 16th century and has been used primarily in academic and formal contexts to refer to debates or arguments.

In everyday French, controverser is most often used in the Conditionnel Présent tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action. Some common contexts in which this tense may be used with controverser include discussing potential arguments or debates, proposing hypothetical scenarios, and expressing uncertainty about a controversial topic.

Examples:

  1. Si nous controversions ce sujet, je pense que nous pourrions trouver un terrain d’entente. (If we were to debate this topic, I think we could find common ground.)
  2. Je te déconseille de controverser cette thèse, elle est très bien soutenue par des preuves solides. (I advise you not to argue against this thesis, it is well-supported by strong evidence.)
  3. Il n’est pas certain que la loi controversée soit adoptée, cela dépendra des arguments présentés au parlement. (It is not certain that the controversial law will be adopted, it will depend on the arguments presented in parliament.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je controverserais Je controverserais avec mes collègues. I would debate with my colleagues.
tu controverserais Tu controverserais avec lui. You would debate with him.
il controverserait Il controverserait ses idées. He would debate his ideas.
elle controverserait Elle controverserait son choix. She would debate her choice.
on controverserait On controverserait sur le sujet. One would debate about the subject.
nous controverserions Nous controverserions en classe. We would debate in class.
vous controverseriez Vous controverseriez le projet. You would debate the project.
ils controverseraient Ils controverseraient en public. They would debate in public.
elles controverseraient Elles controverseraient sur le sujet. They would debate about the subject.

Other Conjugations for Controverser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb controverser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Controverser – 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.

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