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SpnVerbConditional
Conditional rules and endings
Question | Answer |
---|---|
The Conditional Tense | Frequently, the conditional is used to express probability, possibility, wonder or conjecture, and is usually translated as would, could, must have or probably. |
The student said that he would study one more hour. | (probability, possibility) |
What time could it have been? | (wonder, conjecture) |
He must have been at home. | (wonder, conjecture) |
We were probably busy when you called. | (probability, possibility) |
Note: when "would" is used in the sense of a repeated action in the past | the imperfect is used. |
To conjugate regular -ar, -er and -ir verbs in the conditional, simply add one of the following to the infintive: | ía ías ía íamos íais ían |
Here are all three regular conditional verb forms together: | Hablar comer vivir hablaría comería viviría hablarías comerías vivirías hablaría comería viviría hablaríamos comeríamos viviríamos hablaríais comeríais viviríais hablarían comerían vivirían |
The student said that he would study one more hour. | El alumno dijo que estudiaría una hora más. |
What time could it have been? | ¿Qué hora sería? |
He must have been at home. | Estaría en su casa. |
We were probably busy when you called. | Estaríamos ocupados cuando llamaste. |
The same twelve common verbs that are irregular in the future tense are also irregular in the conditional tense.: Caber | yo cabría |
Poner | yo pondría |
Decir | yo diría |
Haber | yo habría |
Salir | yo saldría |
Hacer | yo haría |
Poder | yo podría |
Tener | yo tendría |
Querer | yo querría |
Valer | yo valdría |
Saber | yo sabría |
Venir | yo vendría |
To express speculation about the past: | Aquél día correrían más de veinticinco kilómetros. That day they must have run more than 25 kilometers. |
To express the future from the perspective of the past: | Yo sabía que abrirían la tienda a las siete. I knew that they would open the store at seven o'clock. |
To express hypothetical actions or events which may or may not occur: | Sería interesante estudiar chino. It would be interesting to study Chinese. |
To indicate what would happen were it not for some certain specific circumstance: | Yo viajaría pero no tengo dinero. I would travel but I don't have money. |
For polite use to soften requests: | Por favor, ¿podría decirme a qué hora abre la gasolinera? Could you please tell me what time the gas station opens? |
To ask for advice: | ¿Cuál compraría Ud.? Which one would you buy? |
For reported speech: | Juan dijo que terminaría el trabajo. Juan said that he would finish the work. |
To express what would be done in a particular situation: | ¿Hablarías inglés en España? Would you speak English in Spain? No. Hablaría español. No. I would speak Spanish. |
Let's look at one more use of the conditional. To express an action which is contrary to fact | Si yo tuviera tiempo, iría al cine esta noche. If I had time, I would go to the movies tonight. |
The conditional is used for conjecture and to express probability with regards to a past action, as in the following example: | ¿Qué hora sería? What time could it have been? Serían las cinco. It was probably five o'clock. |
If, however, the conjecture or expression of probability is about the present, the future tense is used: | ¿Qué hora será? What time can it be? Serán las cinco. It is probably five o'clock. |
With regards to reported speech, notice that if the main clause is in the past, the conditional is used. | Juan dijo que terminaría el trabajo. Juan said that he would finish the work. |
But if the main clause is in the present, the future is used. | Juan dice que terminará el trabajo. Juan says that he will finish the work. |
Conditional Tense formed by | Infinitive + ending (-ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían) |
Conditional Tense Irregulars: Caber | yo cabría |
Poner | yo pondría |
Decir | yo diría |
Haber | yo habría |
Salir | yo saldría |
Hacer | yo haría |
Poder | yo podría |
Tener | yo tendría |
Querer | yo querría |
Valer | yo valdría |
Saber | yo sabría |
Venir | yo vendría |