When do i use conditional in spanish

Once you know the rules, the irregular verbs inside the conditional tense in Spanish do not seem that irregular anymore. If you already know the endings, you will realize how easy it is. At the beginning, you might not realize it but there are three types of conditional sentences. You just need to learn to distinguish the difference. This one you already know as we have used it in all previous examples. I am sure you can make a sentence in simple conditional by now.

I would live in Hawaii if I could. The continuous conditional shows an action that would be in progress at a certain moment of time. It can also express speculation of what might be happening.

How to do it? Conjugate the verb estar in the simple conditional tense and add the appropriate gerund. The perfect conditional is used to make a conjecture about the past when we want to say what might have happened if the conditions had been favorable. I would have lived in Hawaii if my mother had let me. I would go to Paris if I had the money. It would be incredible to live on an island.

Could you help me with my homework? He told me he would live with me. It is most often translated as would in English. The conditional is conjugated by taking the infinitive and adding the appropriate endings these are also the -er and -ir verbs imperfect endings as in the following table:.

Verbs with irregular future stems use the same irregular stems in the conditional. Here is a list of the most common irregular stems:. The conditional expresses potentiality. It is used to express a wish or a suggestion, to make a request, or to accept or extend invitations. It is less direct and more polite than the imperative. In most cases, the conditional is translated as meaning would in English.

The conditional is used when making statements which are contrary to present facts. It expresses a hypothetical result which depends on stated or implied circumstances which do not exist.

In order for the action expressed by the conditional to occur, something else must take place first. Note that the condition in the si or if clause , is always stated in the subjunctive imperfect or pluperfect. For more details about hypothetical clauses see also the page about si clauses. In addition, the conditional is used to represent the future in relation to a narration in the past when reported speech is used to tell what someone said.

Laura told me that she would come. For more details about reported speech see also the page about indirect speech. Which one would you buy? Juan said that he would finish the work. Would you speak English in Spain? I would speak Spanish. If I had time, I would go to the movies tonight. Note: This last example uses a verb tense you are not yet familiar with — the imperfect subjunctive tuviera.

This topic will be covered in depth in a later lesson. Finally, a few words need to be said to call attention to the contrasting uses of the future and the conditional.

As previously stated, the conditional is used for conjecture and to express probability with regards to a past action, as in the following example:. If, however, the conjecture or expression of probability is about the present , the future tense is used:. What time can it be? With regards to reported speech, notice that if the main clause is in the past , the conditional is used. But if the main clause is in the present , the future is used.

Juan says that he will finish the work. Print Page Email Page. Gender of Nouns I 2. Gender of Nouns II 3. Numbers: 4. Plural Forms of Nouns 5. Articles 6. The Verb Form "hay" 7. Subject Pronouns 8. Verbs I 9.

Verbs II Verbs III Adjectives I Adjectives II Days of the Week Numbers: Unit Two Ser and Estar I Ser and Estar II Ser and Estar III Ser and Estar IV Negation Questions Adjectives Tener, venir Weather Expressions The Personal "a"