Want to master the art of “would” in Spanish? The conditional mood is your go-to for talking about hypothetical situations, making polite requests, and expressing what could have been. Whether you’re discussing future plans with colleagues in Madrid or daydreaming about possibilities with friends in Buenos Aires, the conditional will help you sound more natural and nuanced in Spanish.

Understanding the Spanish Conditional

The conditional (or condicional) belongs to the indicative mood and is used to express actions that depend on certain conditions. Think of it as the “would” tense – it helps you talk about hypothetical situations, make polite requests, and express probability in the past.

When to Use the Conditional

The conditional shines in several key situations:

1. Expressing hypothetical actions:
   “Viajaría a España si tuviera dinero”
   (I would travel to Spain if I had money)
2. Making polite requests:
   “Podría ayudarme con esto?”
   (Could you help me with this?)
3. Giving advice:
   “Yo que tú, estudiaría más”
   (If I were you, I would study more)
4. Expressing probability in the past:
   “Serían las tres cuando llegó”
   (It must have been around three when he arrived)

Forming the Conditional

Here’s the good news: the conditional is one of the most regular tenses in Spanish! You simply add these endings to the infinitive:

Regular Verbs (All -AR, -ER, -IR verbs)

• Yo: -ía
• Tú: -ías
• Él/ella/usted: -ía
• Nosotros: -íamos
• Vosotros: -íais
• Ellos/ellas/ustedes: -ían

Examples with Regular Verbs

Using hablar, comer, and vivir:

• hablar → hablaría (I would speak)
• comer → comería (I would eat)
• vivir → viviría (I would live)

Irregular Stems

Only a handful of verbs have irregular stems in the conditional:

• decir → dir- (diría)
• hacer → har- (haría)
• poder → podr- (podría)
• poner → pondr- (pondría)
• salir → saldr- (saldría)
• tener → tendr- (tendría)
• venir → vendr- (vendría)

The Conditional in Action: Real-Life Examples

1. Professional Settings

“Podríamos reunirnos la próxima semana”
(We could meet next week)

2. Making Plans

“¿Qué harías si ganaras la lotería?”
(What would you do if you won the lottery?)

3. Giving Advice

“En tu lugar, yo aceptaría el trabajo”
(In your place, I would accept the job)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Don’t use it for completed past actions:
   ❌ “Ayer iría al supermercado”
   ✅ “Ayer fui al supermercado”
2. Remember to use the full infinitive:
   ❌ “Comría más verduras”
   ✅ “Comería más verduras”

Ready to Level Up Your Spanish?

Take your Spanish to the next level with our comprehensive resources! Visit our complete conditional mood guide for detailed explanations and practice exercises. Want to master specific verbs? Learn how to use Poder in Latin American Spanish or Poder in Castilian Spanish. Working on irregular verbs? Check out Tener in Latin American Spanish and Tener in Castilian Spanish. With our audio examples and practice exercises, you’ll be expressing hypotheticals and making polite requests like a native speaker in no time. ¡Vamos!