Irregular Future and Conditional Stems

Radicaux irréguliers au futur et au conditionnel

All regular French verbs and many irregular ones use their infinitives as future and conditional stems. But of course there are always exceptions – here are the few dozen verbs with irregular stems.

Stem-changing verbs

Stem-changing verbs have the same stem change in their future and conditional stems:

Similar verbs
appeler appeller-épeler, rappeler, renouveler
appuyer appuier-ennuyer, essuyer
employeremploier-nettoyer, noyer, tutoyer, etc.
essayer*essaier-balayer, effrayer, payer
gérer*gèrercélébrer, espérer, préférer, etc.
jeter jetter-feuilleter, hoqueter, projeter, rejeter
leverlèver-acheter, achever, mener, etc.

*The future and conditional stem change is optional for these two types of stem-changing verbs.

Irregular verbs

About 20 French verbs have irregular future and conditional stems:

Similar verbs
acquériracquerr-conquérir, s’enquérir
allerir-
avoiraur-
courircourr-concourir, discourir, parcourir, etc.
devoirdevr-
envoyerenverr-renvoyer
êtreser-
fairefer-
falloirfaudr-
pleuvoirpleuvr-
pouvoirpourr-
savoirsaur-
valoirvaudr-
venirviendr-devenir, tenir, obtenir, etc.
voirverr-revoir
vouloirvoudr-

  Conseil concis

No matter the verb, whether regular, irregular, or stem-changing, the future / conditional stem always ends in -r.

 Related lessons

Questions about French?

 Ask me in the comments section below or visit the Progress with Lawless French Q+A forum to get help from native French speakers and fellow learners.
 

More Lawless French

 Subscribe to my twice-weekly newsletter.
      

Support Lawless French

  This free website is created with love and a great deal of work.

If you love it, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation.

Your support is entirely optional but tremendously appreciated.