The Spanish conditional corresponds to the English conditional with the auxiliary verb “would”:
ComprarĂa ese coche, pero es muy caro.
I would buy that car, but it is very expensive.
The conditional is formed by adding an ending to the base form of the verb (e.g. hablar): | |
---|---|
base form + | -Ăa |
-Ăas | |
-Ăa | |
-Ăamos | |
-Ăais | |
-Ăan |
The ending is added to the end of the base without removing anything. The endings are the same for verbs ending in -ar, -er and -ir, and the endings of the 1st and 3rd person singular are the same.The endings are the same as the imperfect tense endings of the verbs that end in -er and -ir.
HablarĂa contigo, pero estoy ocupado.
I would talk to you, but I’m busy.
ÂżComerĂas paella en Valencia?
Would you eat paella in Valencia?
Some verbs have an irregular stem in the conditional, but the endings are the same. The irregular verbs are the same as in the future tense.
e is dropped from the stem | e or i is dropped, replaced with d | irregular stem |
---|---|---|
poder → podr | poner → pondr- | decir → dir- |
querer → querr- | salir → saldr- | hacer → har- |
saber → sabr- | tener → tendr- | |
haber → habr- | valer → valdr- | |
caber → cabr- | venir → vendr- |
Ese coche no cabrĂa en el garaje.
That car wouldn’t fit in the garage.
No sabrĂamos cĂłmo reaccionar ante una sorpresa asĂ.
We would not know how to react to such a surprise.
SaldrĂan con nosotros, pero tienen muchĂsimo trabajo.
They would go out with us, but they have a lot of work to do.
VendrĂais conmigo al cine, pero ya tenĂ©is otros planes.
You would come with me to the cinema, but you already have other plans.
HarĂa las tareas ahora, pero no quiero.
I would do the homework now, but I don’t want to.
The conditional conjugation of the be-verbs ser and estar is regular.
SerĂa difĂcil pintar las paredes.
It would be difficult to paint the walls.
EstarĂamos muy felices.
We would be very happy.
Conditional clauses beginning with si (if) cannot contain a conditional verb form in Spanish (similarly to English). Instead, the imperfect subjunctive is used. The verb in the main clause is conditional.
IrĂamos al parque si no lloviera.
We would go to the park if it wasn’t raining.
Si tuviera más dinero, comprarĂa un coche.
If she had more money, she would buy a car.
More about the imperfect subjunctive in chapter 3.11.
In indirect questions starting with the conjunction si, the conditional can be used.
Ella no está segura si Carlos aceptarĂa la oferta.
She is not sure if Carlos would accept the offer.
No sĂ© si mis vecinos oirĂan el ruido.
I don’t know if my neighbours would hear the noise.
The conditional form of the verb querer (to want) is commonly used in polite requests:
QuerrĂa un cafĂ©, por favor.
I would like a coffee, please.