TutorLily
Try for Free
FrenchConjugationConditionnel

Prendre (to take) · Conditionnel

By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated

Prendre in the French conditionnel présent is: je prendrais, tu prendrais, il/elle/on prendrait, nous prendrions, vous prendriez, ils/elles prendraient. The conditionnel présent of prendre is regular — same infinitive stem as the futur, plus imperfect endings. 'Je prendrais un café, s'il vous plaît' = 'I would have a coffee, please' (polite restaurant order).

prendre conjugation in the Conditionnel Présent
To TakePrendre
I would take
je prendrais
you would take
tu prendrais
he/she would take
il/elle/on prendrait
we would take
nous prendrions
you would take
vous prendriez
they would take
ils/elles prendraient
Examples

Prendre (to take) in context

Sentences that use prendre in the conditionnel. Tap each to hear it.

Je prendrais bien un café.

I'd love a coffee.

Tu prendrais quoi à ma place?

What would you take in my place?

Il prendrait sa retraite s'il pouvait.

He would retire if he could.

Nous prendrions un taxi s'il pleuvait.

We would take a taxi if it rained.

Vous prendriez une décision à ma place?

Would you make a decision in my place?

Ils prendraient plus de risques avec plus d'expérience.

They would take more risks with more experience.

Tip

Working with the conditionnel

The conditionnel présent ("je parlerais") expresses what would happen if a condition were met ("si j'avais le temps, je voyagerais" — if I had time, I would travel). It's also the standard form for polite requests in French: "je voudrais" (I would like) is the polite version of "je veux"; "pourriez-vous" (could you) is the polite version of "pouvez-vous". Structurally, the conditionnel uses the same stem as the futur with imperfect endings: parler- + -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. Knowing the futur stem of any verb gives you the conditionnel for free — one of the most efficient pedagogy points in French.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do you conjugate prendre in the conditionnel?
The conditionnel of prendre is: je prendrais, tu prendrais, il/elle/on prendrait, nous prendrions, vous prendriez, ils/elles prendraient. Same full-infinitive stem as the futur, plus imperfect endings.
What does 'je prendrais bien' mean?
'Je prendrais bien + noun' literally means 'I would gladly take' and idiomatically means 'I'd love to have': 'je prendrais bien un café' (I'd love a coffee), 'je prendrais bien des vacances' (I'd love a vacation). The 'bien' is an intensifier meaning 'gladly' or 'really'. Soft, polite, conversational.
How do I use the conditionnel for polite restaurant orders?
The polite restaurant default is 'je prendrais + dish/drink': 'je prendrais une salade, s'il vous plaît' (I would have a salad, please). The conditional 'prendrais' softens the present indicative 'je prends' — more polite. Equivalent to English 'I would have' or 'I'll have'. Always pair with 's'il vous plaît' for full politeness.
TutorLily

Practice Prendre (To Take) in real conversations

TutorLily is your personal language tutor that catches every mistake gently and keeps the conversation going.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

3-day free trial · Cancel anytime · 50+ languages

As seen on
BBC News

More tenses of Prendre (To Take)

← Previous tense
Prendre (to take) · Futur

More verbs in conditionnel

All tenses
Prendre (to take)
conditionnel
Être (to be)
conditionnel
Avoir (to have)
conditionnel
Aller (to go)
Get TutorLily