Back to: Spanish Verb Tenses Practice – Course
Lesson: Simple Conditional in Spanish
In this lesson, you will learn how to conjugate the Simple Conditional tense in Spanish using the infinitives -ar, -er, and -ir. The Simple Conditional is used to express hypothetical situations, desires, or actions that would happen under certain conditions. It is also used to express politeness or a request.
Formation of the Simple Conditional Tense in Spanish
The Simple Conditional is formed by adding the appropriate endings directly to the infinitive form of the verb. The endings are the same for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs.
Endings for the Simple Conditional:
| Subject Pronoun | Ending |
|---|---|
| Yo (I) | -ía |
| Tú (You, informal) | -ías |
| Él/Ella (He/She) | -ía |
| Nosotros (We) | -íamos |
| Vosotros (You all, informal, Spain) | -íais |
| Ellos/Ellas (They) | -ían |
The endings are added to the infinitive of the verb (e.g., hablar – to speak, comer – to eat, vivir – to live).
Conjugating Regular Verbs in the Simple Conditional
1. -AR Verbs (e.g., Hablar – to speak)
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo (I) | hablaría | I would speak |
| Tú (You, informal) | hablarías | You would speak |
| Él/Ella (He/She) | hablaría | He/She would speak |
| Nosotros (We) | hablaríamos | We would speak |
| Vosotros (You all, informal, Spain) | hablaríais | You all would speak |
| Ellos/Ellas (They) | hablarían | They would speak |
2. -ER Verbs (e.g., Comer – to eat)
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo (I) | comería | I would eat |
| Tú (You, informal) | comerías | You would eat |
| Él/Ella (He/She) | comería | He/She would eat |
| Nosotros (We) | comeríamos | We would eat |
| Vosotros (You all, informal, Spain) | comeríais | You all would eat |
| Ellos/Ellas (They) | comerían | They would eat |
3. -IR Verbs (e.g., Vivir – to live)
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo (I) | viviría | I would live |
| Tú (You, informal) | vivirías | You would live |
| Él/Ella (He/She) | viviría | He/She would live |
| Nosotros (We) | viviríamos | We would live |
| Vosotros (You all, informal, Spain) | viviríais | You all would live |
| Ellos/Ellas (They) | vivirían | They would live |
Irregular Verbs in the Simple Conditional
Some verbs have irregular stems in the Simple Conditional tense. These irregular stems are the same as those used in the Future Tense.
| Verb | Irregular Stem | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Decir | dir- | to say |
| Hacer | har- | to do |
| Poder | podr- | to be able to |
| Querer | querr- | to want |
| Venir | vendr- | to come |
| Tener | tendr- | to have |
| Salir | saldr- | to go out |
| Saber | sabr- | to know |
| Caber | cabr- | to fit |
Examples of Irregular Verbs in the Simple Conditional:
- Decir (to say) – Simple Conditional
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo (I) | diría | I would say |
| Tú (You, informal) | dirías | You would say |
| Él/Ella (He/She) | diría | He/She would say |
| Nosotros (We) | diríamos | We would say |
| Vosotros (You all, informal, Spain) | diríais | You all would say |
| Ellos/Ellas (They) | dirían | They would say |
- Hacer (to do) – Simple Conditional
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo (I) | haría | I would do |
| Tú (You, informal) | harías | You would do |
| Él/Ella (He/She) | haría | He/She would do |
| Nosotros (We) | haríamos | We would do |
| Vosotros (You all, informal, Spain) | haríais | You all would do |
| Ellos/Ellas (They) | harían | They would do |
Usage of the Simple Conditional
The Simple Conditional is commonly used in the following situations:
- Hypothetical Situations:
- Si tuviera dinero, viajaría a Europa.
(If I had money, I would travel to Europe.)
- Si tuviera dinero, viajaría a Europa.
- Polite Requests or Offers:
- ¿Me darías un favor?
(Would you do me a favor?)
- ¿Me darías un favor?
- Desires or Wishes:
- Me encantaría vivir en la playa.
(I would love to live at the beach.)
- Me encantaría vivir en la playa.
- Making Suggestions:
- Podríamos ir al cine mañana.
(We could go to the movies tomorrow.)
- Podríamos ir al cine mañana.
Conclusion
The Simple Conditional tense is essential for expressing hypothetical situations, desires, and polite requests in Spanish. It is formed by adding specific endings to the infinitive form of the verb, and it shares irregular stems with the Future Tense. With practice, you will be able to use the Simple Conditional to express ideas and communicate effectively in various situations.
Good luck with your learning process!