1. To express the idea of what would happen, use the conditional tense.
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2. 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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3. Note that all of the conditional endings carry a written accent mark.
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4. Verbs with irregular future stems have the same irregular stem in the conditional.
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5. 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 la Isla Margarita.
First I would go to Caracas and then to Isla Margarita.
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6. 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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7. Cuando era pequeña, iba a la playa durante los veranos.
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. 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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9. 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 diez personas.
How many people were at the party?
There must have been about ten people.
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10. 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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