Conditional tense

Foreign Languages

Definition

The conditional tense expresses what someone would do under certain conditions, or makes polite requests. In Spanish, it is formed by adding specific endings (-ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían) to the infinitive of the verb.

Examples

  • Spanish: 'Yo comería pizza' (I would eat pizza).
  • Spanish: '¿Podrías ayudarme?' (Could you help me?) — polite request.
  • Spanish: 'Si tuviera dinero, viajaría a España' (If I had money, I would travel to Spain).
Key Fact

Spanish conditional endings added to the infinitive: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían. Irregular stems match the future tense (e.g., tener → tendr-).

Related Terms

Conditionnel présent Future tense Ability expressions Polite expressions

Study This Concept

Practice conditional tense with free review games in these units:

Spanish 1-2 Unit 12: Future and Conditional