Usage
The Spanish conditional tense is primarily used for three purposes:
- Expressing what would happen: to talk about actions or events that would occur under certain conditions.
- Making polite requests or suggestions: to soften the tone of a question or offer.
- Speculating about the past: to conjecture or wonder about something that might have happened.
Formation
The conditional tense is formed by adding the following endings to the infinitive form of the verb. This applies to regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs, as well as most irregular verbs.
Examples
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Yo hablaría español. |
| English Example |
| Spanish Word (hablar) | Spanish Word (comer) | Spanish Word (vivir) |
|---|---|---|
| hablaría | comería | viviría |
| Pronoun | Ending | |
| yo | -ía |
Irregular Verbs
Some verbs have irregular stems in the conditional tense, but they use the same endings. Here are a few common ones:
| Spanish Conjugation (yo) | |
|---|---|
| diría | |
| Infinitive | Stem |
| decir | dir- |
"Si" Clauses
The conditional tense is often used in the second part of a sentence that begins with "si" (if), which introduces a hypothetical condition.
- Si describes a condition (usually in the imperfect subjunctive).
- The main clause describes what would happen (in the conditional tense).
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Si tuviera tiempo, viajaría a España. |
| English Example |
Useful Expressions
Examples
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Yo hablaría español. |
| English Example |
| Spanish Expression |
|---|
| Quisiera |
| English Translation |
| Usage Notes |
| A polite way to make requests |
Summary
The Spanish conditional tense is used to express hypothetical actions, polite requests, and past speculation. It is formed by adding specific endings to the infinitive verb form and applies to both regular and irregular verbs. Common constructions include "si" clauses (to express conditions) and frequently used expressions like quisiera, debería, and podría.
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Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025