LiramiLirami

Conditional · would / could / should

The condicional — "would do". Add ía / ías / ía / íamos / íais / ían to the infinitive (the dictionary form, like hablar), with the same irregular stems as the future.

Examples

  • Yo iría contigo.I would go with you.
  • ¿Podría ayudarme?Could you help me?
  • Me gustaría un café.I would like a coffee.

How it works

The conditional simple expresses what WOULD happen — hypothetical, polite requests, or conjecture about the past.

Endings (same for -ar/-er/-ir):

hablar → hablaría, hablarías, hablaría,
hablaríamos, hablaríais, hablarían
comer → comería, comerías, comería, comeríamos, comeríais, comerían
vivir → viviría, vivirías, viviría, viviríamos, viviríais, vivirían

Irregular stems are IDENTICAL to the future tense:

decir → diríahacer → haríapoder → podría
poner → pondríaquerer → querríasalir → saldría
saber → sabríatener → tendríavenir → vendría

Uses:

- Hypotheticals: Yo iría contigo.

I would go with you.

- Polite requests: ¿Podría ayudarme?

Could you help me?

- Polite wishes: Querría un café.

I'd like a coffee. (softer than quiero)

- Polite wishes: Me gustaría reservar una mesa.

I'd like to book a table.

- Past conjecture: Serían las cinco.

It must have been five o'clock.

Often pairs with "si" + imperfect subjunctive (a special verb form for wishes, doubts and feelings):

Si tuviera tiempo, estudiaría.

If I had time, I would study.

What you'll practise

  1. 1. Regular conditional endings (-ía)

    Add ía/ías/ía/íamos/íais/ían to the full infinitive (the dictionary form, like hablar).

    • Comería más.I would eat more.
    • Hablaríamos despacio.We would speak slowly.

  2. 2. Irregular stems (haría, podría, tendría…)

    Same irregular stems as the future tense.

    • Lo haría con gusto.I would gladly do it.
    • ¿Podrías ayudarme?Could you help me?

  3. 3. Polite requests with querría / podría / gustaría

    Use conditional to soften requests.

    • Querría un café.I'd like a coffee.
    • Me gustaría viajar.I'd like to travel.

Practise it until it sticks

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