Breakdown of Si j'étais de bonne humeur, j'aurais répondu à l'appel.
je
I
être
to be
avoir
to have
de
of / from / any (in negative sentences) / about (concerning)
à
at / to / in (general locations) / about (what one thinks about / reacts to)
bon
good
répondre
to answer / to reply
si
if
l'appel
the call (m)
l'humeur
the mood (f)
Questions & Answers about Si j'étais de bonne humeur, j'aurais répondu à l'appel.
How does the meaning change if I used Si j'avais été instead of Si j'étais here?
Si j'avais été de bonne humeur uses the Plus-que-parfait to describe a fully past condition: "If I had been in a good mood [at that specific time]". By using the Imparfait (Si j'étais), it becomes a mixed conditional describing an ongoing or present state: "If I were in a good mood [in general/right now]". This current state of mind explains the past result (j'aurais répondu).
Why is there no article before bonne humeur? Doesn't "in a good mood" need "une"?
Why do we say répondu à l'appel instead of just répondu l'appel?
If I wanted to say "I wouldn't have answered", where do the negative words go in the second clause?
In the Conditionnel Passé, the negation surrounds the conjugated auxiliary verb, which in this case is aurais. The past participle (répondu) comes immediately after the negation. It becomes: je n'aurais pas répondu à l'appel.
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