Transcript     The Conditional

• To express the idea of what would happen, use the
conditional tense.
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8.1–1
• The conditional tense (el condicional) uses the same
endings for all –ar, –er, and –ir verbs. For regular
verbs, the endings are added to the infinitive.
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8.1–2
Note that all of the conditional endings carry a written accent mark.
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8.1–3
• Verbs with irregular future stems have the same
irregular stem in the conditional.
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8.1–4
Uses of the conditional
• The conditional is used to express what would occur under
certain circumstances.
En Venezuela, ¿qué lugar visitarías primero?
In Venezuela, which place would you visit first?
Iría primero a Caracas y después a Isla Margarita.
First I would go to Caracas and then to Isla Margarita.
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8.1–5
• The conditional is also used to make polite requests.
Me gustaría cobrar este cheque.
¿Podría firmar aquí, en el reverso?
I would like to cash this check.
Would you please sign here, on the back?
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8.1–6
The English would is often used to express the conditional, but it
can also express what used to happen. To express habitual past
actions, Spanish uses the imperfect, not the conditional.
Cuando era pequeña, iba a la playa durante los veranos.
When I was young, I would go to the beach in the summer.
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8.1–7
• In subordinate clauses, the conditional is often used
to express what would happen after another action
took place. To express what will happen after another
action takes place, the future tense is used instead.
CONDITIONAL
FUTURE
Creía que hoy haría
mucho viento.
Creo que mañana hará
mucho viento.
I thought it would be very
windy today.
I think it will be very windy
tomorrow.
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8.1–8
• In Spanish, the conditional may be used to express
conjecture or probability about a past condition or event.
English expresses this sense with expressions such as
wondered, must have been, and was probably.
¿Qué hora era cuando
regresó?
Serían las ocho.
What time did he return?
It must have been eight o’clock.
¿Cuánta gente había en la
fiesta?
Habría como veinte personas.
How many people were at the
party?
There must have been about
twenty people.
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8.1–9
• The conditional is also used to report statements made
in the future tense.
Iremos a la fiesta.
Dijeron que irían a la fiesta.
We’ll go to the party.
They said they’d go to the party.
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8.1–10