This contribution establishes an up-to-date survey of studies devoted to the French conditional (conditionnel). Three major issues are addressed. Firstly, we synthesize the general debate on the categorical status of the conditionnel. Secondly, this article proposes a summary of the main uses of the conditional usually identified. Lastly, it considers the question of ascribing a basic semantic value (signifié) to the conditional form, through a critical evaluation of the hypotheses currently discussed.