In the previous lesson we saw an overview of the conditional tense. We saw that the general idea of the conditional is to describe hypothetical or uncertain events that are contingent to another set of circumstances.
Yo pondría aquí un cuadro si el casero me dejara colgar cosas de la pared.
I would put a picture here if the landlord would let me hang things on the wall.
In today's lesson, we are going to see the different situations where we use the conditional tense.
1. Giving advice on formulas of obligation - use the conditional to give advice on anything, but that advice must almost force the other person to follow the advice.
Deberías trabajar menos y salir más.
You should work less and go out more.
Tendrías que contar a la policía lo que ha ocurrido.
You should tell the police what happened.
2. Expressing wishes - use the conditional when you want to express wishes about something you would like to happen.
Sería estupendo vivir en un mundo sin contaminación.
It would be really nice to live in a world without pollution.
Nos gustaría hacer un largo viaje por toda Europa.
We would like to do a long trip around Europe.
3. Being corteous - use the conditional to formulate a question in a more polite way or to sound more corteous.
4. Expressing uncertainty/probability - when the action is in the preterit imperfect or preterit indefinite tense*
* See "The Future Simple" lesson for more information about expressing uncertainty/probability when the action is in the present tense.
Yo pondría aquí un cuadro si el casero me dejara colgar cosas de la pared.
I would put a picture here if the landlord would let me hang things on the wall.
In today's lesson, we are going to see the different situations where we use the conditional tense.
Uses of the conditional tense
1. Giving advice on formulas of obligation - use the conditional to give advice on anything, but that advice must almost force the other person to follow the advice.
Deberías trabajar menos y salir más.
You should work less and go out more.
Tendrías que contar a la policía lo que ha ocurrido.
You should tell the police what happened.
2. Expressing wishes - use the conditional when you want to express wishes about something you would like to happen.
Sería estupendo vivir en un mundo sin contaminación.
It would be really nice to live in a world without pollution.
Nos gustaría hacer un largo viaje por toda Europa.
We would like to do a long trip around Europe.
3. Being corteous - use the conditional to formulate a question in a more polite way or to sound more corteous.
| ¿Puedes explicar esa lección otra vez? Can you explain that lesson again? | vs. | ¿Podrías explicar esa lección otra vez? Could you explain that lesson again? |
4. Expressing uncertainty/probability - when the action is in the preterit imperfect or preterit indefinite tense*
| Pregunta | Seguridad | Probabilidad |
| ¿A qué hora te llamaron? | Me llamaron a las 10 | Me llamarían a las 10 |
| ¿Qué le pasaba a Bea? | Le dolía la cabeza | Le dolería la cabeza |
| ¿Dónde estuvo ayer Javier? | Estuvo estudiando | Estaría estudiando |
* See "The Future Simple" lesson for more information about expressing uncertainty/probability when the action is in the present tense.