Lesson 23: Introducing the Conditional Tense

23.1

What is the Conditional?

The conditional is a form that we use mostly for talking about what someone would do, or what would happen under certain circumstances, like Yo no entraría, I wouldn’t go in there. It also lets us talk about future plans from a past perspective, as in Carlos dijo que llegaría para las 5, Carlos said he would arrive by 5.

Below are the endings for regular verbs in the conditional:

Great news! It’s very similar to the simple future in how it’s formed. We put endings right onto the infinitive, or onto the same group of irregular forms.

23.2

Regular Verbs in the Conditional

Here are some regular verbs conjugated in the conditional:

That’s it! What an easy step on the road to becoming the VerbMaster!

So, for a quick wrap-up, remember that if the future is will + verb, the conditional is would + verb. How’s that? Straightforward enough? That ought to get you going.

23.3

Using the Conditional

Below are some examples of how you can use the conditional in the real world:

Hablaríamos con nuestro abuelo, pero la tabla de ouija está rota.

We would speak to our grandpa, but the ouija board is broken.

Hablaríamos con nuestro abuelo, pero la tabla de ouija está rota.‍

‍We would speak to our grandpa, but the ouija board is broken.

Ustedes comerían más pan si fueran patos.

You all would eat more bread if you were ducks.

Ustedes comerían más pan si fueran patos.‍

‍You all would eat more bread if you were ducks.

Ellos vivirían entre las ninfas de los árboles si fuera socialmente aceptable.

They would live amongst the tree nymphs if it was socially acceptable.

Ellos vivirían entre las ninfas de los árboles si fuera socialmente aceptable.

They would live amongst the tree nymphs if it was socially acceptable.