The Conditional Mood of recaer is used to express what would happen if a certain condition were met, for example: Si no tuvieras cuidado, recaerías en esa mala costumbre. (If you weren’t careful, you would relapse into that bad habit.)

Recaer is a regular verb in Spanish, which means its conjugations in the Conditional follow the same pattern as other verbs with the same infinitive ending.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Decaer (to decline) in the Conditional Mood tense (Latin American Spanish):

The conditional mood of recaer is used to express what would happen or what someone would do under certain circumstances.

To relapse or fall back into an illness or bad habit: For example, Si no tomo mis medicamentos, recaería en la depresión. (If I don’t take my medication, I would relapse into depression.)

To return to a previous state or condition: For example, Si no cuido mi dieta, recaería en el sobrepeso. (If I don’t watch my diet, I would regain the excess weight.)

To fall back into a negative situation or behavior: For example, Si sigo juntándome con esa gente, recaería en las andanzas. (If I keep hanging out with those people, I would fall back into bad ways.)

To return to a previous topic or subject (colloquial): For example, Ya recaeríamos en lo mismo de siempre. (We would end up going back to the same old thing.)

Examples

Examples of Decaer in the Conditional Mood

Si no te cuidas, recaerías en tus viejos hábitos poco saludables. (If you don’t take care of yourself, you would relapse into your old unhealthy habits.)

Después de una temporada de estrés en el trabajo, me preocupa que recaería en el insomnio. (After a stressful period at work, I’m worried I would relapse into insomnia.)

El equipo de fútbol recaería en su mal juego si no se concentraran en el próximo partido. (The soccer team would relapse into their poor performance if they didn’t focus on the next game.)

Aunque ha estado sobrio por años, recaería en el alcoholismo si no asistiera a las reuniones de apoyo. (Although he has been sober for years, he would relapse into alcoholism if he didn’t attend support meetings.)

Si no sigues el plan de ejercicios, recaerías en el sedentarismo que tanto trabajo te costó superar. (If you don’t follow the exercise plan, you would relapse into the sedentary lifestyle that was so hard for you to overcome.)

Después de tanto progreso, sería una lástima que recayéramos en los viejos patrones de pensamiento negativo. (After so much progress, it would be a shame if we relapsed into the old patterns of negative thinking.)

Si no mantenemos la disciplina, recaeríamos en el desorden que tanto nos costó organizar. (If we don’t maintain discipline, we would relapse into the disorder that was so hard for us to organize.)

Aunque la terapia ha ayudado, el psicólogo advirtió que recaería en la depresión si dejara de tomar los medicamentos. (Although therapy has helped, the psychologist warned that he would relapse into depression if he stopped taking the medication.)

Si no practicamos regularmente, recaeríamos en los malos hábitos de estudio que teníamos antes. (If we don’t practice regularly, we would relapse into the bad study habits we had before.)

Después de tanto esfuerzo por dejar de fumar, sería una pena que recayera en ese vicio otra vez. (After so much effort to quit smoking, it would be a shame if he relapsed into that addiction again.)

Si no mantenemos la rutina de ejercicios, recaeríamos en el sedentarismo que tanto daño nos hizo. (If we don’t maintain our exercise routine, we would relapse into the sedentary lifestyle that was so harmful to us.)

Aunque ha estado en remisión por años, el médico advirtió que recaería en el cáncer si no siguiera el tratamiento. (Although he has been in remission for years, the doctor warned that he would relapse into cancer if he didn’t continue the treatment.)

Si no mantenemos la disciplina financiera, recaeríamos en las deudas que tanto trabajo nos costó saldar. (If we don’t maintain financial discipline, we would relapse into the debts that were so hard for us to pay off.)

Después de tanto progreso en la terapia, sería una lástima que recayeran en los trastornos alimenticios de nuevo. (After so much progress in therapy, it would be a shame if they relapsed into eating disorders again.)

Si no mantenemos el compromiso con nuestros valores, recaeríamos en el cinismo que tanto daño nos hizo en el pasado. (If we don’t maintain our commitment to our values, we would relapse into the cynicism that was so harmful to us in the past.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Decaer (to decline) in the Conditional Mood tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Conditional mood is also known as the Simple Conditional, Conditional Simple, Would Tense, or Future of the Past in English, and as Condicional Simple, Pospretérito, Potencial Simple, or Condicional de Indicativo in Spanish.