【英文版西语语法】Conditional regular and irregular forms and uses

 The Spanish conditional tense is formed much like the Spanish simple future tense. Both regular and irregular verbs use the same set of endings, and any stems that are irregular in the simple future are also irregular in the conditional.

 

Regular Conditional Forms

 

To form the conditional tense with regular verbs, simply add the conditional endings to the end of the infinitive. Below you'll find a table with the Spanish conditional endings, as well as conjugations of three regular verbs in the conditional: viajar, conocer, and escribir.

 

Spanish Conditional Endings

 

Subject Conditional Ending

yo -ía

tú -ías

usted, él, ella -ía

nosotros -íamos

vosotros -íais

ustedes, ellos, ellas -ían

The endings for the conditional tense are the same as those for the -er and -ir forms of the imperfect tense. However, conditional endings are attached to the infinitive, while imperfect endings are attached to the stem.

 

Conditional: Escribiría unas cartas. (I would write some letters.)

Imperfect: Escribía unas cartas. (I wrote some letters.)

Conditional Conjugations of Viajar, Conocer, and Escribir

 

Subject Viajar Conocer Escribir

yo

viajaría

 

conocería

 

escribiría

 

tú

viajarías

 

conocerías

 

escribirías

 

usted, él, ella

viajaría

 

conocería

 

escribiría

 

nosotros

viajaríamos

 

conoceríamos

 

escribiríamos

 

vosotros

viajaríais

 

conoceríais

 

escribiríais

 

ustedes, ellos, ellas

viajarían

 

conocerían

 

escribirían

 

Check out these examples of the regular conditional.

 

Compraría esa camisa.

I would buy that shirt.

 

Sacaría la basura por ti.

He would take out the trash for you.

 

Si fuera rico, me gustaría viajar por todo el mundo.

If I were rich, I would travel all over the world.

 

Irregular Conditional Forms

 

The conditional has relatively few irregular verbs. They fall into three categories:

 

Verbs wher the last vowel in the infinitive is replaced with a -d

Verbs wher the last vowel in the infinitive is removed

Verbs that are just plain irregular

1. Verbs wher the Last Vowel in the Infinitive Is Replaced with a -d

 

only -er and -ir verbs fall into this category. To form the stem of these verbs, simply replac the e or i at the end of the infinitive with a -d. Then, add the conditional endings.

 

A good example of this type of verb is tener (to have). Check out the conditional conjugation of this verb below.

 

Tener Conditional Conjugation

 

Subject tener (to have)

yo

tendría

 

tú

tendrías

 

usted, él, ella

tendría

 

nosotros

tendríamos

 

vosotros

tendríais

 

ustedes, ellos, ellas

tendrían

 

Other Verbs like Tener

 

Infinitive Conditional Stem

poner

 

pondr-

valer

 

valdr-

salir

 

saldr-

venir

 

vendr-

Usted tendría una casa nueva.

You would have a new house.

 

Valdría mil dólares.

It would be worth $1,000.

 

2. Verbs wher the Last Vowel in the Infinitive Is Removed

 

only -er verbs fall into this category. To form the stem of these verbs, remove the vowel from the infinitive ending. Then, add the conditional endings.

 

A good example of this type of verb is poder (to be able to). Check out the conditional conjugation of this verb below.

 

Poder Conditional Conjugation

 

Subject Poder (to be able to)

yo

podría

 

tú

podrías

 

usted, él, ella

podría

 

nosotros

podríamos

 

vosotros

podríais

 

ustedes, ellos, ellas

podrían

 

Other Verbs like Poder

 

Infinitive Conditional Stem

caber

 

cabr-

haber

 

habr-

querer

 

querr-

saber

 

sabr-

¿Podrías pasar el agua?

Would you pass the water?

 

Habría menos basura en el parque si todos lo cuidáramos.

There would be less trash in the park if we all took care of it.

 

3. Irregular stems

 

The verbs decir (to say) and hacer (to do/make) have slightly more drastic stem changes that don't fit into either of the above patterns. Check out the conditional conjugations of these two verbs below.

 

Decir and Hacer Conditional Conjugations

 

Subject Decir (to tell) Hacer (to make/to do)

yo

diría

 

haría

 

tú

dirías

 

harías

 

usted, él, ella

diría

 

haría

 

nosotros

diríamos

 

haríamos

 

vosotros

diríais

 

haríais

 

ustedes, ellos, ellas

dirían

 

harían

 

Diríais el cuento de tu aventura en el caribe.

You would tell your story of your adventure in the Caribbean.

 

Haría el pastel si tuviera tiempo.

I would make the cake if I had time.