A Tense Based on Glimpses into the
Unknown |
It's
called the conditional tense because a condition has to
be apparent, whether stated or not. |
The
conditional tense is used when an action is being based
on "any conditions." |
| That
is: Whenever there is an "if" involved ... |
The
conditional tense always includes the meaning of "would"
attached to the verb. |
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Someone
(would _____), if ...
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Use
the conditional tense for any question beginning with
"What would (so and so) do, if ... ?" |
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The
verb form implies a probability. |
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Any
English verb can be placed in the blank, being
then in the "conditional tense." |
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This
"would" in English can create problems. Remember that
the "if" clause is necessary. The following statements
that are NOT in the conditional do not have any "if"
attached or implied. |
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|
Statement |
When
? |
Tense |
| When
I was a kid, I would
eat and eat and eat. |
In
the past ... |
Imperfect |
| That
machine wouldn't start. |
In
the past ... |
Preterite |
| I
wouldn't shop there!
(... if you paid me!) |
Whenever |
Conditional |
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The
information can be understood as likely to happen, given
the circumstances (if). |
| Spanish
conditional forms are developed from one single set of endings. |
| For
most Spanish verbs, these endings are attached to the infinitive:
Drop no letters (-ar, -er, or -ir)! |
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Conditional
Tense Endings |
|
Singular
|
| yo |
-
ía
|
| tú*
|
-
ías
|
| él,
ella, Usted |
-
ía
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Plural
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| nosotros,
nosotras |
-
íamos
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| vosotros,
vosotras |
-
íais
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| ellos,
ellas, Ustedes |
-
ían
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| Also realize that these
endings when attached to the whole verb carry the full weight
of : |
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A
few verbs in Spanish have an irregular verb stem for the
conditional tense, but they will still take these same
endings. You can learn these here.
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