The Conditional Tense (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
The conditional tense
Overview
The conditional tense expresses actions we might do or would do in certain circumstances. It's the Spanish equivalent of "would" + verb in English. You use it for polite requests, hypothetical situations, and expressing what could happen under specific conditions.
Common uses of the conditional tense:
- Making polite requests: "¿Te gustaría venir?" (Would you like to come?)
- Describing hypothetical actions: "Correría el maratón" (I would run the marathon)
- Expressing possibilities: "Sería interesante" (It would be interesting)
Rules & formation
The conditional tense follows a straightforward formation pattern. Unlike other tenses that remove the infinitive ending, the conditional keeps the entire infinitive and simply adds specific endings.
Formation rule: Take the complete infinitive verb + add conditional endings
This is different from most other Spanish tenses, which typically remove the infinitive ending before adding conjugation endings.
The conditional endings are the same for all verbs (both regular and irregular):
- -ía (I would)
- -ías (you would)
- -ía (he/she/it would)
- -íamos (we would)
- -íais (you all would)
- -ían (they would)
Table of key forms
Regular verbs
| Pronoun | TRABAJAR (to work) | CORRER (to run) | ESCRIBIR (to write) |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | trabajaría | correría | escribiría |
| tú | trabajarías | correrías | escribirías |
| él/ella/usted | trabajaría | correría | escribiría |
| nosotros/as | trabajaríamos | correríamos | escribiríamos |
| vosotros/as | trabajaríais | correríais | escribiríais |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | trabajarían | correrían | escribirían |
Irregular verbs
Key insight: The twelve verbs with irregular stems in the conditional use identical stems to their future tense forms. If you already know the future tense irregular stems, you already know the conditional ones!
| Infinitive | Irregular stem | yo form | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| CABER | cabr- | cabría | I would fit |
| DECIR | dir- | diría | I would say |
| HABER | habr- | habría | I would have |
| HACER | har- | haría | I would do/make |
| PODER | podr- | podría | I would be able |
| PONER | pondr- | pondría | I would put |
| QUERER | querr- | querría | I would want |
| SABRE | sabr- | sabría | I would know |
| SALIR | saldr- | saldría | I would go out |
| TENER | tendr- | tendría | I would have |
| VALER | valdr- | valdría | I would be worth |
| VENIR | vendr- | vendría | I would come |
Example sentences
Worked Examples: Using the Conditional Tense
Example 1: Polite requests
¿Te gustaría venir a visitarme?
Would you like to come visit me?
Here the conditional makes a polite invitation, softer than using the present tense.
Example 2: Future in the past
Dijo que correría el maratón.
She said she would run the marathon.
The conditional expresses a future action from a past perspective.
Example 3: Hypothetical situations
Sería interesante aprender francés.
It would be interesting to learn French.
This shows a hypothetical situation or opinion.
Example 4: Conditional circumstances
Yo haría el trabajo pero no tengo tiempo.
I would do the work, but I don't have time.
The conditional expresses what someone would do under different circumstances.
Example 5: Suggestions with irregular verbs
Podríamos hacer senderismo mañana.
We could go hiking tomorrow.
This suggests a possibility using an irregular conditional form (podr- stem + -íamos ending).
Common mistakes & tips
Mistake 1: Forgetting the accent marks
All conditional endings need accent marks on the í. Without them, you change the meaning completely.
- ✗ trabajaria (incorrect)
- ✓ trabajaría (correct)
Mistake 2: Removing the infinitive ending
Unlike other tenses, keep the entire infinitive when forming the conditional.
- ✗ trabaj + ría (incorrect)
- ✓ trabajar + ía (correct)
Mistake 3: Confusing irregular stems
Remember that conditional irregular stems are exactly the same as future tense stems. If you know the future stem, you know the conditional stem.
Mistake 4: Using wrong endings with irregular verbs
Even irregular verbs use the same conditional endings (-ía, -ías, etc.). Only the stem changes, never the endings.
Memory tip: Think of the conditional as the "polite tense" - it softens requests and makes suggestions less direct than other tenses.
Summary
Key Points to Remember:
- The conditional expresses "would" + verb situations and polite requests
- Formation is simple: infinitive + conditional endings (-ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían)
- Twelve verbs have irregular stems, but these are identical to future tense irregular stems
- All conditional endings need accent marks on the í
- Use it for hypothetical situations, polite requests, and future actions viewed from the past