The Spanish Conditional Tense

When to use the conditional

The conditional talks about what would happen: in an imagined situation, in a polite request, or seen from the past.

1. 1

   Imagining

   What would happen, or what you would do, in a situation that isn’t real.

   • Yo no haría eso.

     I wouldn’t do that.

   • Con más tiempo, aprendería alemán.

     With more time, I’d learn German.

2. 2

   Polite requests and wishes

   Softer than the present, like “could you” and “I’d like” in English.

   • ¿Podrías ayudarme?

     Could you help me?

   • Me gustaría un café, por favor.

     I’d like a coffee, please.

3. 3

   Advice

   What someone should do, or what you would do in their place.

   • Tendrías que hablar con ella.

     You should talk to her.

   • Yo que tú, iría al médico.

     If I were you, I’d go to the doctor.

4. 4

   What someone said would happen

   A promise or prediction reported from the past: the future, seen from then.

   • Dijo que llamaría más tarde.

     He said he would call later.

   • Sabía que ganaríamos.

     I knew we would win.

“Should”: debería

To say what someone should do, use deber in the conditional, plus an infinitive. It's the most common way to give advice or say what's right. The present, debes, is stronger, closer to you must.

Using the conditional to guess about the past

Just as the future makes guesses about the present, the conditional makes guesses about the past. Serían las tres means it was probably about three.

1. FactGuess
2. Fact

   Eran las tres.

   It was three o’clock.

   Guess

   Serían las tres.

   It must have been about three.

3. Fact

   Estaba en casa.

   She was at home.

   Guess

   Estaría en casa.

   She was probably at home.

4. Fact

   Tenía treinta años.

   He was thirty.

   Guess

   Tendría treinta años.

   He must have been about thirty.

In a question, it means I wonder… about the past:

Compare the future: estará en casa is a guess about now, and estaría en casa is a guess about something in the past.

Irregular verbs

The conditional uses the same twelve irregular stems as the future, with the regular conditional endings.

Here are the ones you'll use most, conjugated in full:

Hay (there is, there are) becomes habría:

Common mistakes English speakers make

1. 1

   Using the conditional after si

   Incorrect:Si tendría tiempo, viajaría más.

   Correct:Si tuviera tiempo, viajaría más.

   The conditional goes in the other half of the sentence. After si, use the imperfect subjunctive: tuviera, fuera, pudiera.

2. 2

   Using the conditional for a habit

   Incorrect:De niño, jugaría al fútbol todos los días.

   Correct:De niño, jugaba al fútbol todos los días.

   When would means used to, Spanish uses the imperfect.

3. 3

   Using the regular stem on an irregular verb

   Incorrect:Yo no tenería tiempo.

   Correct:Yo no tendría tiempo.

   The conditional uses the same irregular stems as the future: tendr‑, podr‑, har‑, and the rest.

4. 4

   Dropping the r

   Incorrect:Yo no comía eso.

   Correct:Yo no comería eso.

   To say I wouldn't eat that, keep the whole infinitive: comer + ía. Comía is the imperfect: I was eating, I used to eat.

5. 5

   Using podría for “couldn’t” in the past

   Incorrect:Ayer no podría venir.

   Correct:Ayer no pude venir.

   When couldn't means wasn't able to, use a past tense: no pude or no podía. Podría means could in the sense of would be able to.

Questions about the conditional