Condicional Simple in Spanish: A2 Grammar Guide
◄ Back to A2 Grammar Hub | View All #FutureTense Posts | Practice with Our Conditional Quiz ►
Key Takeaways
- Master the conjugation rules for regular and irregular verbs in the Condicional Simple
- Understand when to use this tense for polite requests, hypothetical situations, and future-in-the-past
- Learn how the conditional mood expresses courtesy, possibility, and speculation
- Practice forming sentences to make polite offers and talk about what you “would” do
- Discover how conditional sentences work with “if” clauses (si + imperfect subjunctive)
Master Polite Requests and Hypotheticals
The Condicional Simple (Conditional Tense) is the tense of politeness, dreams, and hypothetical situations. It’s used to talk about what “would” happen, make polite requests, and express wishes. If you’ve ever wanted to ask for something nicely or imagine “what if” scenarios, this is the tense you need!
When to Use the Condicional Simple (Cuándo Usarlo)
Use this tense for:
- ✅ Polite Requests and Offers: Making courteous asks
- ✅ Hypothetical Situations: Imagining what “would” happen
- ✅ Future in the Past: Talking about future events from a past perspective
- ✅ Advice and Suggestions: Giving gentle recommendations
Example Sentences:
- “¿Podrías pasarme la sal, por favor?” (Could you pass me the salt, please?) [Polite Request]
- “Viajaría por todo el mundo si tuviera dinero.” (I would travel around the world if I had money.) [Hypothetical]
- “Dijo que llegaría a las ocho.” (He said he would arrive at eight.) [Future in the Past]
- “Deberías estudiar más.” (You should study more.) [Advice]
Regular Verb Conjugations (Conjugaciones Regulares)
Table: Condicional Simple Endings – Same for ALL verbs (-AR, -ER, -IR)
| Subject | Ending | Hablar | Comer | Vivir |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | -ía | hablaría | comería | viviría |
| Tú | -ías | hablarías | comerías | vivirías |
| Él/Ella/Usted | -ía | hablaría | comería | viviría |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | -íamos | hablaríamos | comeríamos | viviríamos |
| Vosotros/Vosotras | -íais | hablaríais | comeríais | viviríais |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | -ían | hablarían | comerían | vivirían |
💡 Grammar Tip: Like the future tense, the conditional is incredibly easy to conjugate! Just add the conditional endings to the entire infinitive. The endings are identical to the Imperfecto -ER/-IR endings, but added to the full infinitive.
Irregular Verbs (Verbos Irregulares)
*Table: Conditional Irregular Stems – Same 12 verbs as the Future Tense*
| Infinitive | Irregular Stem | Yo Form | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decir | dir- | diría | I would say |
| 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 |
| Saber | sabr- | sabría | I would know |
| Salir | saldr- | saldría | I would leave |
| Tener | tendr- | tendría | I would have |
| Venir | vendr- | vendría | I would come |
| Valer | valdr- | valdría | I would be worth |
| Haber | habr- | habría | I would have (auxiliary) |
| Caber | cabr- | cabría | I would fit |
🔍 Grammar Focus: The irregular verbs in the conditional are identical to the future tense irregulars! If you know the future tense irregular stems, you already know the conditional irregulars. Just add the conditional endings instead.
Polite Requests vs. Direct Commands
| Use CONDITIONAL for: | Use IMPERATIVE for: |
|---|---|
| Polite, indirect requests | Direct commands |
| Uncertain situations | Clear instructions |
| Asking favors | Giving orders |
| “Could you…?” | “Do this!” |
Examples:
- “¿Podrías ayudarme con esto?” (Could you help me with this?) – Polite
- “Ayúdame con esto.” (Help me with this.) – Direct
- “Me gustaría un café, por favor.” (I would like a coffee, please.) – Polite
- “Dame un café.” (Give me a coffee.) – Direct
Hypothetical Sentences with “Si” Clauses
The conditional often appears with “si” (if) + Imperfect Subjunctive:
Structure: Si + [Imperfect Subjunctive], [Conditional]
Examples:
- “Si tuviera dinero, viajaría más.” (If I had money, I would travel more.)
- “Si pudiera, te ayudaría.” (If I could, I would help you.)
- “Compraría una casa si ganara la lotería.” (I would buy a house if I won the lottery.)
📚 Coming Soon: We’ll cover the Imperfect Subjunctive in detail in another guide!
Putting It All Together: Restaurant Conversation
Cliente: Buenas tardes. Me gustaría ver el menú, por favor.
Mesero: Aquí tiene. ¿Qué le recomendaría?
Cliente: ¿Qué sugeriría usted? Preferiría algo no muy picante.
Mesero: Recomendaría el pescado a la plancha. Es muy suave.
Cliente: Perfecto. Lo tomaría. También ¿podría traernos agua?
Mesero: Claro que sí. En seguida.
Translation:
Customer: Good afternoon. I would like to see the menu, please.
Waiter: Here you go. What would you recommend?
Customer: What would you suggest? I would prefer something not very spicy.
Waiter: I would recommend the grilled fish. It’s very mild.
Customer: Perfect. I would take that. Also, could you bring us water?
Waiter: Of course. Right away.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using “will” for “would”: Don’t use future tense for hypotheticals.
- Forgetting the accent marks: The í in endings is crucial: hablaría, hablarías.
- Mixing up irregular stems: Same irregulars as future tense – don’t overcomplicate!
- Using conditional in “if” clause: The conditional goes in the main clause, not after “si.”
- Overusing for direct requests: Use imperative for clear instructions to friends.
Quick Reference Chart
| Category | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Primary Use | Polite requests, hypotheticals, future-in-the-past |
| Endings | -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían (same for all verbs) |
| Key Irregulars | Same 12 verbs as future tense + conditional endings |
| Common Phrases | “Me gustaría”, “¿Podrías?”, “Deberías” |
| “Si” Clauses | Si + Imperfect Subjunctive + Conditional |
Practice Exercise: Create Polite Requests
Transform these direct statements into polite requests using the conditional:
- “Dame el libro.” (Give me the book.)
- “Ayúdame con esto.” (Help me with this.)
- “Pasa la sal.” (Pass the salt.)
Answers:
- “¿Podrías darme el libro, por favor?”
- “¿Me ayudarías con esto, por favor?”
- “¿Podrías pasarme la sal, por favor?”
💻 Practice Conjugations Live! Use our Spanish Verb Conjugation Tool to practice any verb in the conditional tense and get instant feedback.
Ready to Practice?
Think you’ve mastered the Condicional Simple? Test your knowledge of polite requests and hypothetical situations!
Take Our Conditional Quiz ►
