Conditional perfect

In English, the conditional perfect is formed using would have together with the past participle of the main verb.

Sometimes, in (chiefly American English) informal speech, the would have construction appears in the if-clause as well ("If we would have run faster, we would have arrived earlier"), but this is considered incorrect in formal speech and writing (see English conditional sentences § Use of will and would in condition clauses).

For more details on the usage of this and of the ordinary conditional perfect, see the relevant sections of the article Uses of English verb forms.

Example: Spanish forms the conditional perfect on similar principles, e.g. yo te habría dicho todo ("I would have told you everything").

In Dutch grammar it is called the "perfect past future tense", emphasizing that it also has future-in-past properties.