Conditionnel présent

When

What would happen, polite requests and wishes. Je voudrais un café. (I would like a coffee.) Si j'avais le temps, je viendrais. (If I had the time, I would come.)

How to form it

The stem of the futur + the endings of the imparfait (ais, ais, ait, ions, iez, aient). Je parlerais, j'irais, je serais.

Pitfalls

• After si meaning "if" you do not use the conditionnel, but the imparfait: si j'avais, not si j'aurais. When si means "whether", it is fine: Il m'a demandé si je viendrais. (He asked whether I would come.)
• Je parlerai (futur) and je parlerais (conditionnel) differ by only one letter.