DELE A2 Guide: Spanish Conditional Tense
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Key Takeaways
- Master regular conditional tense endings for -AR, -ER, -IR verbs
- Learn key irregular verbs in the conditional tense
- Understand how to express polite requests and hypothetical situations
- Practice with DELE-focused scenarios for real exam contexts
Welcome to your introduction to the Spanish Conditional Tense. This versatile tense helps you express politeness, hypothetical situations, and future possibilities from a past perspective. Mastering the conditional will add sophistication to your Spanish and is essential for the DELE A2 speaking and writing tasks.
What is the Conditional Tense?
The conditional tense describes what “would” happen under certain circumstances. It’s used for:
- Polite requests and suggestions
- Hypothetical situations
- Future possibilities from a past viewpoint
- Expressing wishes and desires
Forming the Conditional Tense
Regular Verbs:
Add these endings to the complete infinitive:
| Subject | Ending | -AR: Hablar | -ER: Comer | -IR: Vivir |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | -ía | hablaría | comería | viviría |
| tú | -ías | hablarías | comerías | vivirías |
| él/ella/usted | -ía | hablaría | comería | viviría |
| nosotros | -íamos | hablaríamos | comeríamos | viviríamos |
| vosotros | -íais | hablaríais | comeríais | viviríais |
| ellos/ustedes | -ían | hablarían | comerían | vivirían |
Examples of Regular Verbs:
- “Hablaría con el profesor.” (I would talk with the teacher.)
- “Comeríamos en ese restaurante.” (We would eat in that restaurant.)
- “Vivirían en España.” (They would live in Spain.)
Common Irregular Verbs
These verbs use the same irregular stems as the future tense:
| Infinitive | Stem | Conditional |
|---|---|---|
| poder | podr- | podría, podrías, podría… |
| querer | querr- | querría, querrías, querría… |
| saber | sabr- | sabría, sabrías, sabría… |
| haber | habr- | habría, habrías, habría… |
| decir | dir- | diría, dirías, diría… |
| hacer | har- | haría, harías, haría… |
| poner | pondr- | pondría, pondrías, pondría… |
| tener | tendr- | tendría, tendrías, tendría… |
| salir | saldr- | saldría, saldrías, saldría… |
| venir | vendr- | vendría, vendrías, vendría… |
Uses of the Conditional Tense
1. Polite Requests and Suggestions:
- “¿Podría ayudarme, por favor?” (Could you help me, please?)
- “Me gustaría un café, por favor.” (I would like a coffee, please.)
2. Hypothetical Situations:
- “Viajaría más si tuviera dinero.” (I would travel more if I had money.)
- “Estudiaría medicina si fuera más fácil.” (I would study medicine if it were easier.)
3. Expressing Wishes and Desires:
- “Me encantaría visitar Japón.” (I would love to visit Japan.)
- “Querría aprender a bailar salsa.” (I would want to learn to dance salsa.)
4. Future in the Past:
- “Dijo que llegaría a las ocho.” (He said he would arrive at eight.)
- “Pensé que llovería hoy.” (I thought it would rain today.)
DELE A2 Practical Scenarios
Restaurant and Shopping:
- “Me gustaría pedir la ensalada.” (I would like to order the salad.)
- “¿Podría probarme estos zapatos?” (Could I try on these shoes?)
Travel and Directions:
- “¿Podría decirme dónde está la estación?” (Could you tell me where the station is?)
- “Querría un billete para Madrid.” (I would like a ticket to Madrid.)
Social Situations:
- “Me encantaría ir a tu fiesta.” (I would love to go to your party.)
- “¿Vendrías con nosotros al cine?” (Would you come with us to the movies?)
Common Expressions with Conditional
- “Me gustaría…” (I would like…)
- “¿Podría…?” (Could you…?)
- “Me encantaría…” (I would love…)
- “Sería posible…?” (Would it be possible…?)
Important Grammar Notes
1. No Stem Changes:
Regular verbs and stem-changing verbs do NOT change stems in the conditional:
- “pensar” → “pensaría” (not “pensaría”)
- “dormir” → “dormiría” (not “durmiría”)
2. Accent Marks:
All conditional forms have accent marks on the ending.
3. With “Si” Clauses:
Often used with “si” (if) to express hypothetical situations (though full “si” clauses are more B1 level).
DELE A2 Exam Tips
- Speaking Section: Use conditional for polite requests in role-plays
- Writing Section: Show you can express wishes and hypothetical ideas
- Listening Section: Recognize polite requests in conversations
- Key Areas: Restaurant scenes, shopping, asking for help, social invitations
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t forget the accent marks
- Don’t use conditional for future events (use future or ir + a + infinitive)
- Remember the irregular stems for common verbs
- Practice the polite request formulas
Pronunciation Practice
- hablaría (ah-blah-REE-ah)
- comería (koh-meh-REE-ah)
- viviría (bee-bee-REE-ah)
- podría (poh-DREE-ah)
Memory Tips
- All endings have accent marks
- Add endings to the complete infinitive
- Irregular stems are the same as future tense
- Use for polite requests and hypotheticals
Next Step: Test Your Knowledge!
Ready to master the conditional tense?
Take our DELE A2 Conditional Tense Quiz here to ensure you’re prepared for the exam.
What’s Next in Your DELE A2 Journey?
- Ready for other tenses? Review DELE A2 Future Tense
- Need more verb practice? Study DELE A2 Present Tense
- Want related topics? Learn DELE A2 Verbs with Prepositions
- Practice all A2 grammar? Return to DELE A2 Grammar Hub
Looking for a deeper dive?
This guide covers the essentials for the DELE A2 exam. If you want to explore more complex conditional structures, advanced hypothetical situations, and conditional perfect forms, check out our complete guide: Spanish Conditional Tense: The Complete Guide
Master the conditional tense and you’ll communicate with greater politeness and sophistication in Spanish!
