Les Hypothèses
(Hypothetical Statements)
This section is reserved for the advanced concept of Hypothetical ideas. They are usually connected to the word "if", and can be connected to the past, present, and future.
The word "if" presents peculiar linguistic gymnastics for verbs in English and in French.
Fortunately for the English-speaking learner, the key word that identifies a hypothesis - "if" - affects French verb tenses the same way that it affects English verb tenses.
A sentence using "if" normally contains two verbs: "IF" one action happens, another action results. One action represents a "condition", the other represents a "result".
The order of the two is flexible. The condition can come first followed by the result, or the reverse order can be used.
English Examples:
"I will show you the book if you come this afternoon."
"If you come this afternoon, I will show you the book ."
There's no difference in meaning in the two sentences, though the order of the ideas is reversed.
It's the same in French.
Effect of ' if ' on Verb-Tense Combinations
The verb-tense combination of actions linked together by "if" (when "if" represents a condition/result) have been established over time by constant use in speaking and writing.
When the condition is located in different time frames, the result is also placed in different time frames. The following discussion and examples how the most frequently used "condition . . . result" verb-tense combinations using "if".
Hypothetical Statements (Hypothèses)
Here are the most frequently used "if" verb-tense combinations
1) To express a condition in the Present with a result in the Present:
Présent / Présent
"Si on essaie, on réussit."
"If one tries, one succeeds."
(Présent-Indicatif) . . . (Présent-Indicatif)
2) To express a condition in the Present with a result in the Future:
Présent / Futur
"Si on l'envoie maintenant, ils le recevront demain."
"If we send it now, they will receive it tomorrow."
(Présent-Indicatif) . . . (Futur simple)
"Si on l'envoie maintenant, ils vont le recevoir demain."
"If we send it now, they're going to receive it tomorrow."
(Présent-Indicatif) . . . (Futur proche)
3) To express a condition in the Present with a result in the Relative Past of some time in the Future:
Présent / Futur (antérieur)
"Si nous commençons maintenant, nous aurons fini après son arrivée."
"If we start now, we will have finished after his arrival."
(Présent-Indicatif) . . . (Futur antérieur)
"Si nous commençons maintenant, nous allons avoir fini après son arrivée."
"If we start now, we're going to have finished after his arrival."
(Présent-Indicatif) . . . (Futur antérieur au Futur proche)
4) To express a condition in the Present followed by a Command:
Présent / Impératif
"Si tu trouves la solution, écris-la."
"If you find the solution, write it out."
(Présent-Indicatif) . . . (Impératif présent)
5) To express a condition in the Past or Present with a hypothetical result in the Present or Future:
Passé ou Présent / Conditionnel
"Si elle avait le livre, elle l'apporterait."
"If she had the book, she would bring it."
(Imparfait) . . . (Conditionnel présent)
6) To express a condition in the Present or Past with a hypothetical result in the Past:
Passé ou Présent / Conditionnel passé
"S'ils étaient honnêtes, ils l'auraient envoyé(e)*."
"If they were honest, they would have sent it."
(Imparfait) . . . (Conditionnel passé)
*(See discussion about participe passé agreement with compound tenses using "avoir" in Section E of Appendix J - Participe passé Agreement)
7) To express a condition in the Past with a result in the Present or Future:
Passé / Conditionnel présent
"S'il avait reçu l'invitation, il serait ici."
"If he had received the invitation, he would be here."
(Plus-que-parfait) . . . (Conditionnel présent)
8) To express a condition in the Past with a hypothetical result also in the Past:
Passé / Conditionnel passé
"Si vous l'aviez su, vous seriez allé(e)(s)*."
"If you had known that, you would have gone."
(Plus-que-parfait) . . . (Conditionnel passé)
*(See discussion about participe passé agreement with compound tenses using "être" in Section C of Appendix J - Participe passé Agreement)