Conditional in indirect speech (future→conditional)

Think of this rule as a grammar bridge. On one side, you have the direct quote. "I will eat," says your hungry friend. On the other side, you have the report. "He said he would eat." When the reporting verb is in the past, everything changes. Words like a dit or disait trigger this change. The future tense must transform into the conditional. It is like a Pokémon evolving into something cooler. The meaning stays the same. The timing just shifts to match the story. If you keep the future tense, it sounds clunky. It is like wearing a winter coat in July. It just does not fit the vibe. You need the conditional to keep the harmony. It tells the listener that the promise happened before. But the action was still ahead at that time. It is all about keeping the timeline straight. Your brain will get used to it quickly. Just listen for that past reporting verb. It is your signal to switch gears.

1. 1Creating the conditional is actually a fun puzzle. You already know the ingredients if you know the future. It is a two-step recipe that never fails.
2. 2Find the future stem of the verb. For regular verbs, this is usually the whole infinitive. For example, parler stays parler-.
3. 3Add the imparfait endings to that stem. These endings are your best friends. They are: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
4. 4Let us look at the verb manger. The future stem is manger-. To say "he would eat," add -ait. You get mangerait. It sounds like the future but ends like the past. It is the perfect hybrid! Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes. They might forget the stem or the ending. But you have a secret weapon now. Just remember: Future Stem + Imparfait Ending = Conditional Success. For irregular verbs, the stem might change. Avoir becomes aur-. Être becomes ser-. But the endings always stay the same. They are loyal like a good dog.

Use this pattern when reporting past conversations. Think about a job interview you had. The boss said, "We will call you on Tuesday." You tell your partner: "He said they appelleraient on Tuesday." It shows respect for the original timeline. Use it when ordering food too. Maybe the waiter said the steak serait delicious. It works for asking directions as well. "The lady said the museum ouvrirait at ten." It is essential for storytelling. If you are writing a novel, you need this. It keeps the reader grounded in your characters' past. It is also great for gossip! "She said she partirait with him!" It adds a layer of drama and accuracy. Any time a past action points to a future one, use it. It is the gold standard for indirect speech. You will sound much more professional and clear.

Do not use this if the reporting verb is present. If you say, "He says he will come," use the future. Il dit qu'il viendra. No conditional needed here! The time travel only starts with a past verb. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Present reporting verb? Green light for the future. Past reporting verb? Red light for future, switch to conditional. Also, do not use it for simple facts. If someone said, "Paris is beautiful," just use the past. Il a dit que Paris était belle. This rule is specifically for "will" becoming "would." Do not overcomplicate your life by using it everywhere. It is a special tool for a specific job. If the original sentence did not use the future, don't force it. Keep it natural and simple. Your goal is to be understood, not to be a robot.

The biggest mistake is staying in the future tense. Many learners say, Il a dit qu'il viendra. This hurts a native speaker's ears a little bit. It is like hitting a wrong note on a piano. Another mistake is using the wrong stem. Some people use the present stem by accident. Remember, you need that "R" from the future! Je parlais is past, but je parlerais is conditional. That one little letter makes a huge difference. Do not forget the que or qu' to link sentences. Il a dit il viendrait is a no-go in French. You need that little bridge to connect the thoughts. Finally, do not confuse the endings with the future ones. Future endings are -ai, -as, -a. Conditional endings are longer and softer. Take your time with the spelling. It is better to be slow and correct. You are building a solid foundation here.

Let us compare the future and the conditional. The future is a bold statement about what happens next. Je le ferai means "I will do it." It is certain and direct. The conditional is softer and more reflective. In indirect speech, it represents a "past future." It is not about a condition or a "maybe." It is strictly about reporting a previous "will." Do not confuse this with the si clauses. You know the ones: "If I were rich, I would buy a boat." That is a different use of the conditional. Here, we are just being a good reporter. We are repeating what was said accurately. Think of the future as a bright sun. Think of the conditional in reporting as a soft moon. It reflects the light of what was said before. Both are beautiful, but they serve different times of day.