The conditional expresses what would happen under certain conditions. It’s formed with would + base verb.
Use
Example
Hypothetical result
I would go if I had time.
Polite request
Would you help me?
Reported speech
She said she would call.
Past habit (informal)
As a kid, I would play outside.
Wish or desire
I would love a coffee.
English conditional examples
Sentence
Use
I would help if I could.
hypothetical
She would go if she had money.
hypothetical
Would you pass me the salt?
polite request
He said he would be there.
reported speech
I would love to travel.
desire
We would call, but it’s too late.
hypothetical
Would you like some water?
polite offer
They would always argue.
past habit
I would do it differently.
hypothetical
She would have told you.
hypothetical past
How Spanish expresses the conditional
Spanish has a dedicated conditional tense — a single set of endings added to the full infinitive. It uses the same irregular stems as the simple future.
Subject
Ending
yo
-ía
tú
-ías
él/ella/usted
-ía
nosotros
-íamos
vosotros
-íais
ellos/ustedes
-ían
The conditional endings look like the imperfect -er/-ir endings. Don’t confuse them — the conditional attaches to the full infinitive, the imperfect to the stem.
Regular conditional: hablar (to speak)
Subject
Form
English
yo
hablaría
I would speak
tú
hablarías
you would speak
él/ella
hablaría
he/she would speak
nosotros
hablaríamos
we would speak
vosotros
hablaríais
you all would speak
ellos
hablarían
they would speak
Regular conditional in sentences
Spanish
English
Yo hablaría más si practicara.
I would speak more if I practiced.
Ella comería sushi si pudiera.
She would eat sushi if she could.
Ellos vivirían aquí si quisieran.
They would live here if they wanted to.
Nosotros trabajaríamos desde casa.
We would work from home.
¿Tú vendrías a la fiesta?
Would you come to the party?
Él estudiaría más si tuviera tiempo.
He would study more if he had time.
Yo llamaría, pero no tengo su número.
I would call, but I don’t have their number.
¿Podrías ayudarme?
Could you help me? (polite request)
Sería mejor esperar.
It would be better to wait.
¿Te gustaría un café?
Would you like a coffee?
Irregular conditional stems
The same 10 irregular stems as the simple future — just add conditional endings instead.
Infinitive
Irregular stem
yo form
tener
tendr-
tendría
venir
vendr-
vendría
poner
pondr-
pondría
salir
saldr-
saldría
poder
podr-
podría
querer
querr-
querría
saber
sabr-
sabría
haber
habr-
habría
hacer
har-
haría
decir
dir-
diría
Irregular conditional in sentences
Spanish
English
Yo tendría más tiempo si no trabajara tanto.
I would have more time if I didn’t work so much.
Ella vendría si la invitaras.
She would come if you invited her.
¿Dónde pondrías el escritorio?
Where would you put the desk?
Nosotros saldríamos antes.
We would leave earlier.
Yo podría ayudarte.
I could help you.
Ella querría saber.
She would want to know.
¿Sabrías qué hacer?
Would you know what to do?
Habría mucho tráfico.
There would be a lot of traffic.
Yo haría lo mismo.
I would do the same.
Él diría la verdad.
He would tell the truth.
Common conditional structures
Hypothetical: si (if) + imperfect → conditional
Si clause (imperfect)
Result clause (conditional)
English
Si tuviera dinero,
viajaría por el mundo.
If I had money, I would travel the world.
Si fuera tú,
llamaría ahora.
If I were you, I would call now.
Si pudiera,
dormiría más.
If I could, I would sleep more.
Si supiera la respuesta,
te la diría.
If I knew the answer, I would tell you.
Si viviera cerca,
vendría todos los días.
If I lived nearby, I would come every day.
Polite requests with the conditional
Spanish
English
¿Podría hablar más despacio?
Could you speak more slowly?
¿Me traería agua, por favor?
Could you bring me water, please?
¿Sería posible cambiar la fecha?
Would it be possible to change the date?
¿Querría usted firmar aquí?
Would you like to sign here?
¿Le importaría esperar?
Would you mind waiting?
Common mistakes
❌ Using would constructions incorrectly: si tengo dinero, viajo for hypothetical → ✅ si tuviera dinero, viajaría (imperfect + conditional for hypotheticals)
❌ Confusing conditional endings (-ía) with imperfect (-ía on stem) → ✅ conditional adds to the full infinitive: hablaría not hablía
❌ Irregular stems forgotten: haría written as hacería → ✅ haría (stem: har-)
Summary
The conditional expresses “would” — hypotheticals, polite requests, desires
Endings attach to the full infinitive: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían
Same 10 irregular stems as the simple future: tendr-, vendr-, har-, dir-, etc.
Hypothetical structure: si + imperfect (condition) → conditional (result)