Le conditionnel de type 3

Le conditionnel de type 3 : if + had + participe passé (plus-que-parfait), would have + participe passé. On l'emploie pour imaginer un passé qui aurait tourné autrement — la condition comme la conséquence sont irréelles, puisque c'est déjà arrivé.

Formes courtes : If I'd known (had), I'd have come (would), I would've come. À l'oral rapide, would have se prononce presque « would-ə ».

💡'd dans la proposition en if, c'est had (If I'd known) ; dans la conséquence, c'est would (I'd have gone). Et comme would've se prononce comme « would of », beaucoup l'écrivent mal — écris toujours would have.

1. Imaginer un autre passé — ce qui s'est vraiment passé est le contraire

• If I had left earlier, I wouldn't have missed the train.

  Si j'étais parti plus tôt, je n'aurais pas raté le train. (je suis parti tard et je l'ai raté)

• If Lan hadn't helped me, I would have failed the course.

  Si Lan ne m'avait pas aidé, j'aurais échoué à ce cours. (mais Lan m'a aidé)

2. Regret ou reproche à propos du passé

• If you'd told me it was your birthday, I'd have bought you a cake.

  Si tu m'avais dit que c'était ton anniversaire, je t'aurais acheté un gâteau.

• We would have won if we hadn't made so many mistakes.

  Nous aurions gagné si nous n'avions pas fait autant d'erreurs.

3. Soulagement : quelque chose de grave ne s'est pas produit

• If the neighbours hadn't smelled the smoke, the whole house would have burned down.

  Si les voisins n'avaient pas senti la fumée, toute la maison aurait brûlé.

• If you hadn't reminded me, I would have forgotten my passport.

  Si tu ne me l'avais pas rappelé, j'aurais oublié mon passeport.

Dans la conséquence, on peut employer could have + V3 (= would have been able to, « aurait pu ») ou might have + V3 (= would perhaps have, « aurait peut-être ») à la place de would.

• If we'd booked earlier, we could have sat together.

  Si on avait réservé plus tôt, on aurait pu s'asseoir ensemble. (could have = would have been able to)

• If she had applied, she might have won the scholarship.

  Si elle avait posé sa candidature, elle aurait peut-être obtenu la bourse. (might have = would perhaps have)

Repère le moment dont parle chaque proposition. Une proposition sur le passé → had V3 / would have V3 ; une proposition sur le présent → prétérit / would + verbe. Quand les deux propositions parlent de moments différents, on obtient un conditionnel mixte.

• If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.

  Si j'avais fait médecine, je serais médecin aujourd'hui. (passé → présent)

• If we hadn't moved to Da Nang, we wouldn't know each other.

  Si nous n'avions pas déménagé à Da Nang, nous ne nous connaîtrions pas. (passé → présent)

• If he were more organised, he wouldn't have forgotten the meeting.

  S'il était plus organisé, il n'aurait pas oublié la réunion. (présent → passé)

• If I didn't have to work tomorrow, I would have stayed at the party longer.

  Si je ne travaillais pas demain, je serais resté plus longtemps à la fête. (présent → passé)

💡Le mixte 1 contient souvent now, today, still dans la conséquence. Si tu vois « now » et que la proposition en if contient had V3, la conséquence prend would + verbe, pas would have.

En anglais soutenu, on peut supprimer if et placer had avant le sujet : Had I known = If I had known. La négation est Had … not + V3 (jamais contractée en Hadn't I…). Voir la leçon « L'inversion ».

• Had we known the road was closed, we would have gone another way.

  Si nous avions su que la route était fermée, nous serions passés par un autre chemin.

• Had she not called, I would have waited all night.

  Si elle n'avait pas appelé, j'aurais attendu toute la nuit. (pas : Hadn't she called)

• ✗If I would have known, I would have come.

  ✓If I had known, I would have come.

  La proposition en if prend had + V3. « If I would have… » s'entend à l'oral familier, mais ce n'est pas correct.

• ✗If I knew you were in hospital, I would have visited you.

  ✓If I had known you were in hospital, I would have visited you.

  On parle du passé → had known.

• ✗We were late. If we had taken a taxi, we would arrive on time.

  ✓We were late. If we had taken a taxi, we would have arrived on time.

  La conséquence est elle aussi dans le passé → would have + V3.

• ✗If she had took the medicine, she would have felt better.

  ✓If she had taken the medicine, she would have felt better.

  had + participe passé (taken), pas le prétérit.

• ✗If she had asked me, I would of helped her.

  ✓If she had asked me, I would have helped her.

  would've se prononce comme « would of », mais on écrit toujours have.

• ✗If it had not rained, we would have play tennis.

  ✓If it had not rained, we would have played tennis.

  would have + participe passé.