Learn Hardcore French: Si tu voulais réserver une table, tu devrais appeler cet hôtel qui sert aussi de restaurant. - If you wanted to book a table, you would have to call this hotel that also acts as a restaurant.

The imperfect tense is used here to introduce a polite or hypothetical condition. In this context, "Si tu voulais réserver une table" implies "if you were inclined to reserve a table" rather than stating an immediate intention. This softens the suggestion, making it less direct than if the present tense (as in "Si tu veux réserver une table") were used.

What is the role of the conditional form "devrais" in the sentence?

The conditional "devrais" (from devoir) translates to "should." It functions as a recommendation or advice that follows the hypothetical condition. The speaker suggests that, if the listener wanted to reserve a table, it would be advisable to call the hotel. This pairing of the imperfect in the condition with the conditional in the main clause is common in polite French suggestions.

How is the relative clause "qui sert aussi de restaurant" structured, and what does it mean?

The clause "qui sert aussi de restaurant" is a relative clause modifying "cet hôtel." The pronoun "qui" refers back to the hotel, while the phrase "sert de" means "serves as." Therefore, the clause tells us that the hotel also functions as a restaurant. The adverb "aussi" emphasizes this additional role.

Why does the sentence use a conditional structure with an imperfect clause followed by a conditional clause?

This structure—imperfect in the si clause and the conditional in the main clause—is typical in French for making polite or less forceful suggestions. The imperfect sets a tentative, non-assertive condition, and the conditional form expresses a recommendation or advice. Together, they create a courteous proposition rather than a direct command.

Could the sentence be written using the present tense for the condition, such as "Si tu veux réserver une table", and how would that change the nuance?

Yes, the sentence could be written as "Si tu veux réserver une table, tu devrais appeler cet hôtel…" Using the present tense "veux" would indicate a more immediate or direct condition. In contrast, "voulais" in the imperfect conveys a more tentative or polite suggestion, as if the speaker is delicately proposing the idea rather than stating a fact.