The document discusses the Spanish conditional tense. It states that the conditional of regular verbs is formed by adding the imperfect endings to the infinitive. For both regular and irregular verbs, the conditional expresses what would happen under certain circumstances or what is future relative to a past event. Examples are provided to illustrate using the conditional to talk about speculated past events and expressing obligation with the verb "deber".
2. In Spanish, the conditional of regular verbs is
formed by adding the imperfect endings for -er
and -ir verbs to the infinitive. The same endings
are used for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs.
hablaría hablar íamos
hablar ías hablaríais
hablar ía hablarían
Again, the infinitive is the basis for all forms of regular
verbs.
Notice that all forms carry a written accent over the i.
3. The Spanish conditional tense is formed with
only one set of endings for the -ar, -er, and -ir
verbs. For regular verbs, the endings are
attached to the infinitive, as follows:
hablaría hablar íamos
hablar ías hablaríais
hablar ía hablarían
hablar ía hablar ían
Again, the infinitive is the basis for all forms of regular
verbs.
Notice that all forms carry a written accent over the i.
4. The Conditional Tense
Notice the following chart:
tomar comer vivir
yo tomaría comería viviría
tú tomarías comerías vivirías
él, ella, Ud. tomaría comería viviría
nosotros/as tomaríamos comeríamos viviríamos
vosotros/as tomaríais comeríais viviríais
ellos/as, Uds. tomarían comerían vivirían
5. The Conditional Tense
The conditional expresses what you would do under
certain circumstances.
¿Reciclarías envases de aluminio?
Would you recycle aluminum cans?
Consumiríamos menos agua.
We would consume less water.
6. The Conditional Tense
The conditional is also used when the speaker is
referring to an event that is future to another past event.
In the future tense, we might say . . .
Mañana en la clase,
hablaré con el profesor,
leeré un cuento chistoso, y
escribiré unas frases.
7. The Conditional Tense
The conditional is also used when the speaker is
referring to an event that is future to another past event.
In the conditional tense, we would say . . .
Ayer te dije que hoy,
hablaría con el profesor,
é con el profesor,
leeré un cuento chistoso, y
ía un cuento chistoso, y
escribiré unas frases.
ía
8. The Conditional Tense
The conditional is also used when the speaker is
referring to an event that is future to another past event.
More examples:
Creíamos que habría más gente
protestando enfrente de la planta nuclear.
We thought there would be more people
protesting in front of the nuclear plant.
Nos dijo que no contaminarían el agua.
He told us they wouldn’t pollute the
water.
9. A Time Line
the conditional the present
the preterit (future in relation Te dije ayer que
(ayer) to the past) hablaría con Juan.
the present
Yo hablaré con Juan.
Toward the past Toward the future
10. The Conditional Tense
The verb deber, when used in the conditional tense, is
equivalent to the English should + infinitive.
Deberías conservar recursos.
You should conserve resources.
Deberíamos hablar con el jefe lo antes
posible.
We should speak with the boss as soon
as possible.
11. Irregular Verbs in the Conditional Tense
The conditional has the same irregular stems as
the future.
1. Drop two letters to form the stem of the future.
decir decir
- diría diríamos
dirías diríais
diría dirían
hacer ha cer
- haría haríamos
harías haríais
haría harían
12. Irregular Verbs in the Conditional Tense
The conditional has the same irregular stems as
the future.
2. The e of the infinitive ending is dropped to form
the stem of the future.
haber haber
- habría, habrías, . . .
poder poder- podría, podrías, . . .
querer querer- querría, querrías, . . .
saber saber
- sabría, sabrías, . . .
13. Irregular Verbs in the Conditional Tense
The conditional has the same irregular stems as
the future.
3. The e or the i of the infinitive ending is replaced
by d to form the stem of the future.
poner pond -
er pondría, pondrías, . .
salir salir -
d saldría,
tener tender- saldrías,tendrías, . .
tendría, . . .
venir vend -
ir .
vendría, vendrías, . .
14. A Special Use of the Conditional Tense
Probability or conjecture with regard to the past is
often expressed in Spanish with the conditional.
¿A que hora sería la conferencia de prensa?
I wonder at what time the press
conference was.
Sería a las cuatro.
It was probably at four.