DELE B2 Conditional Simple: Practice Test & Review
The conditional simple is one of the highest-frequency B2 structures. It expresses what would happen — hypotheses, polite requests, probability about the past, and the main clause of Type 2 si clauses. It shares its irregular stems with the future tense, so if you know the future, you already know most of the conditional.
This page gives you a five-part practice quiz: an evaluation set to see where you stand, three practice sets to drill the forms and uses, and a challenge set to confirm mastery. The grammar review below covers regular and irregular formation, the four main uses, and the contrast with the imperfect subjunctive.
The conditional appears in every B2 reading passage that involves hypothesis, advice, or polite register. Master the forms first, then the uses. Ready? Start with the evaluation set below.
Grammar Guide
The Rule
The conditional simple expresses what would happen under certain conditions. It is used for hypotheses, polite requests, advice, and probability about the past. It also forms the main clause of Type 2 si clauses. The conditional is formed by adding the imperfect endings of -er and -ir verbs to the infinitive — and it shares its irregular stems with the future tense.
Formation
Add the conditional endings to the full infinitive. The endings are the same for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs.
| Person | Ending | Hablar | Comer | 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/Ellas/Ustedes | -ían | hablarían | comerían | vivirían |
Every form carries a written accent on the í.
Irregular Stems
The conditional uses the same irregular stems as the future tense. The endings are still regular.
| Verb | Irregular stem | Conditional (yo) |
|---|---|---|
| tener | tendr- | tendría |
| poder | podr- | podría |
| decir | dir- | diría |
| hacer | har- | haría |
| querer | querr- | querría |
| venir | vendr- | vendría |
| salir | saldr- | saldría |
| poner | pondr- | pondría |
| saber | sabr- | sabría |
| haber | habr- | habría |
| caber | cabr- | cabría |
| valer | valdr- | valdría |
The Four Main Uses
| Use | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Hypothesis | Si tuviera dinero, viajaría. | If I had money, I would travel. |
| Polite request | ¿Podrías ayudarme? | Could you help me? |
| Advice | Deberías descansar. | You should rest. |
| Probability about past | Serían las cinco. | It was probably five o’clock. |
The conditional also appears in reported speech when the original statement was in the future: Dijo que vendría (He said he would come).
Conditional vs Imperfect Subjunctive
This is the key B2 contrast. In a Type 2 si clause, the si clause takes the imperfect subjunctive, and the main clause takes the conditional.
| Clause | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Si clause | Imperfect subjunctive | Si tuviera dinero… |
| Main clause | Conditional | …viajaría. |
Never use the conditional in the si clause. Si tendría dinero is incorrect.
Fixed Expressions
| Expression | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Podrías…? | Could you…? | Polite request, informal |
| ¿Podría usted…? | Could you…? | Polite request, formal |
| Deberías… | You should… | Advice |
| Yo en tu lugar… | If I were you… | Followed by conditional |
| Serían las… | It was probably… | Probability about past time |
| Tendrías que… | You would have to… | Obligation in hypothetical frame |
Common Mistakes
Using conditional in the si clause.
✗ Si tendría dinero, viajaría.
✓ Si tuviera dinero, viajaría.
The si clause takes the imperfect subjunctive, never the conditional.
Forgetting the written accent.
✗ hablaria
✓ hablaría
Every conditional form carries a written accent on the í.
Using future instead of conditional in reported speech.
✗ Dijo que vendrá.
✓ Dijo que vendría.
When the main verb is past, the future shifts to the conditional.
Confusing conditional with imperfect indicative.
✗ Si tuviera dinero, viajaba.
✓ Si tuviera dinero, viajaría.
The imperfect indicative describes habitual past actions, not hypothetical ones.
Quick Decision Chart
| Ask yourself | Answer | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Is this a hypothetical situation? | Yes | Conditional |
| Is this a polite request? | Yes | Conditional (podría, etc.) |
| Is this advice? | Yes | Conditional (deberías, tendrías que) |
| Is this probability about the past? | Yes | Conditional |
| Is this a si clause? | Yes | Imperfect subjunctive, NOT conditional |
| Is the main clause of a Type 2 si clause? | Yes | Conditional |
Two Sentences That Show the Difference
Si tengo dinero, viajaré.
If I have money, I will travel.
Type 1 si clause: real condition, present indicative + future.
Si tuviera dinero, viajaría.
If I had money, I would travel.
Type 2 si clause: unreal condition, imperfect subjunctive + conditional.
Dijo que vendría.
He said he would come.
Reported speech: future from a past perspective becomes conditional.
Vendría, pero no tengo tiempo.
I would come, but I don’t have time.
Hypothesis without a si clause: conditional expresses what would happen.
