The Simple Conditional in Spanish is a verb tense used to express what would happen under certain conditions, to make polite requests, or to speculate about the past. It's a single-word tense formed by adding specific endings to the infinitive form of the verb. The endings are the same for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs.
Formation
The Simple Conditional is formed by adding the following endings to the infinitive form of any verb:
| Pronoun | Ending | Example: hablar (to speak) | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | -ía | hablaría | Yo hablaría con ella. | I would speak with her. |
| Tú | -ías | hablarías | Tú hablarías más si practicaras. | You would speak more if you practiced. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | -ía | hablaría | Ella hablaría por teléfono. | She would speak on the phone. |
| Nosotros | -íamos | hablaríamos | Nosotros hablaríamos contigo. | We would speak with you. |
| Vosotros | -íais | hablaríais | Vosotros hablaríais mejor. | You all would speak better. |
| Ellos/Ustedes | -ían | hablarían | Ellos hablarían inglés. | They would speak English. |
I would speak with her.
Yo hablaría con ella.
The verb 'hablar' is conjugated in the Simple Conditional as 'hablaría' to mean 'I would speak.'
Irregular Stems
Some verbs have irregular stems in the conditional tense. Use these stems before adding the usual -ía, -ías, etc.
| Infinitive | Stem | Example: decir (to say) | decir* Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| decir | dir- | diría | Yo diría la verdad. | I would tell the truth. |
| hacer | har- | haría | Haría mi tarea. | I would do my homework. |
| ir | ir- | iría | Iría al parque. | I would go to the park. |
| tener | tendr- | tendría | Tendría tiempo. | I would have time. |
Uses
. Hypothetical Situations
Use the conditional to talk about things that would happen “if” some condition were met.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Si tuviera dinero, viajaría más. | If I had money, I would travel more. |
| Comeríamos pizza si fuera sábado. | We would eat pizza if it were Saturday. |
. Polite Requests
Make questions or requests sound more polite by using the conditional.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Podrías ayudarme? | Could you help me? |
| Me gustaría un café. | I would like a coffee. |
. Speculation About the Past
Guess or reflect about something that probably happened in the past.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Serían las ocho cuando llegaron. | It was probably eight o’clock when they arrived. |
| Habría olvidado su libro. | He/She must have forgotten his/her book. |
Examples
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo viajaría a Japón si pudiera. | I would travel to Japan if I could. |
| Ellos comprarían una casa grande. | They would buy a big house. |
| ¿Te gustaría venir con nosotros? | Would you like to come with us? |
Practice
Try completing these sentences with the correct form of the verb in parentheses:
| Spanish Sentence | English Sentence |
|---|---|
| Si yo (ser) \\\_, sería médico. | If I were \\\_, I would be a doctor. |
| Nosotros (viajar) \\\_ a México. | We would travel to Mexico. |
| ¿(poder) \\\_ ayudarme? | Could you help me? |
Answers:
| Spanish Sentence | English Sentence |
|---|---|
| Si yo (ser) fuera, sería médico. | If I were I were, I would be a doctor. |
| Nosotros (viajar) viajaríamos a México. | We would travel to Mexico. |
| ¿(poder) podrías ayudarme? | Could you help me? |
The Simple Conditional is versatile and useful for expressing a range of ideas politely and hypothetically. Keep practicing to become more confident!
Could you help me? (poder)
¿Podrías ayudarme?
'Podrías' is the conditional form, making the request more polite.
Flashcards (1 of 25)
- Pronoun: Yo
- Ending: -ía
- Example: hablar (to speak): hablaría
- English Example: I would speak with her.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
