THE simple conditional(Future of the past tense in Spanish) designates a future situation and later to another past tense, which gives it a character of the future of the past. The situations expressed are hypothetical, but achievable.
THE simple conditional it has the following uses: expressing wishes and advice; indicate probability or doubt (conjecture conditional); indicate concession with the conjunction adversative but;as a formula of courtesy; represent the idea of the future in indirect style; and postponed to conditional clauses.
Morphologically, it is made up of regular and irregular verbs. The latter have their roots taken from the future imperfect.
Are we going to learn more about this tense? ¡Échale ganas and keep reading!
Read too: verbal periphrases — spoken phrases in Spanish
Summary about simple conditional
Designates a future action after a past action.
The actions expressed are hypothetical, but achievable.
Its functions are: to express wishes and advice; indicate probability or doubt (
conjecture conditional); indicate concession along with the adversative conjunction but;express courtesy; represent the idea of the future in indirect style; postponed to conditional clauses.The irregular roots are the same as the imperfect future.
Uses of simple conditional
All situations expressed by the simple conditional they encompass future actions related to an action in the past. Let's look at the cases.
Expressing wishes and advice:
I would love to meet the Frida Kahlo Museum.
(I would love to visit the Frida Kahlo Museum.)
You should be more punctual.
(You should be more punctual.)
It is very common to use the expression "what are you” + simple conditional in Spanish, when you want to give someone advice:
¿However in te llamó? Yo you, I would block it.
(Hasn't called you yet? I in his place would block/block him.)
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
Indicate probability or doubt (conjecture conditional):
This usage happens with past situations.
— What time did you get there?
— In the cathedral, they would be las de la mañana.
(—What time did you arrive?
— I don't know, it was/would be two in the morning.)
Indicate concession referring to the past, along with the adversative conjunction but:
The house would be beautiful, but I didn't like the color of the walls.
(The house could have been beautiful, but I didn't like the color of the walls.)
ANDexpress courtesy:
This function is related to requests or wishes expressed in a courteous manner to the recipient.
Would it matter to close the window? You're cold.
(Would you mind closing the window? It's just that it's cold.)
Could you decide the hours?
(Could you tell me the time?)
Representing the idea of the future in indirect style:
The indirect style is the reproduction of someone else's report, without the textual repetition of their words. If what was said in the direct style is in the future, the indirect style reproduction will be in the simple conditional.
Direct Style: Te llamaré a las diez. (I'll call you at ten.)
Indirect style: Juana said she would call me a las diez. (Juana said she would call/call me at ten.)
Postponed to conditional prayers:
If you weren't in this heat, I would accompany you al super.
(If it weren't for this heat, I would accompany you to the supermarket.)
Conjugation of simple conditional
Regular verbs
For the conjugation of regular verbs, just add the endings to the infinitive form of the verb. Let's look at an example of each conjugation.
Pronoun |
finish |
Eat |
Leave |
|
Singular |
yo |
finishwas going |
eatwas going |
leavewas going |
you/you |
finishyou were |
eatyou were |
leaveyou were |
|
he/she/usted |
finishwas going |
eatwas going |
leavewas going |
|
Plural |
nosotros |
finishwe were going |
eatwe were going |
leavewe were going |
you (as) |
finishmore |
eatmore |
leavemore |
|
they/they/ustedes |
finishian |
eatian |
leaveian |
OJO!
TO 1The and at 3The singular person have the same shape.
All terminations receive graphic accent in the first vowel -i-.
In Chile, the pronoun you count on the conjugations finish; eat and would leave,without the final -s.
Irregular verbs
As in the imperfect future, irregularities affect only the roots, and the endings remain the same. The most common irregular roots are:
decir = dir- |
fit = goat- |
hace = har- |
tener = tendr- |
want = want- |
poner = weight- |
haber = habr- |
come = sell- |
power = rot- |
leave = saldr- |
know = sabr- |
vale = valdr- |
Pronoun |
decide |
To want |
To know |
|
Singular |
yo |
would say |
wanted |
sabria |
you / you |
would daily |
would you like |
sabrias |
|
he/she/usted |
would say |
wanted |
sabria |
|
Plural |
nosotros |
we would say |
we wanted |
we knew |
you (as) |
daily |
queriais |
sabriais |
|
they/they/ustedes |
would say |
wantrian |
sabrian |
solved exercises
Question 01
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets conjugated in the simple conditional:
a) Si yo trabajara, ______ (tener) money to buy what you want.
b) Señor, ¿______ (to be) tan amable de decirme su full nombre?
c) Tatiana says that ______ (venir) a las diez, but she was still in the llegó.
d) The photos _______ (be) beautiful, but the photographer did not fall for me.
e) Yo que tu, ________ (finish) the text before it's late.
Resolution:
a) tendria
b) would be
c) vendría
d) would be
e) would end
question 02
Seduc/PI
Mark the correct option of the time and mode of the following verbs:
fueron – ha operated – eran – haya facilitated – tendrian
a) Indicative Imperfect – Indicative Past Perfecto – Indicative Past Imperfect – Subjunctive Past Perfecto – Indicative Future.
b) Indefinite Indicative – Past Perfect Indicative – Past Imperfect Indicative – Past Perfecto Subjunctive – Simple Conditional.
c) Indicative Future – Indefinite Indicative Past – Imperfect Indicative Past – Subjunctive Indefinite Past – Simple Conditional.
d) Indefinite Indicative – Pret. Subjunctive Perfecto – Pret. Indefinite Indicative – Pret. Subjunctive Perfecto – Indicative Future.
e) Imperfect Indicative – Pret. Subjunctive Indefinite – Pret. Imperfect Indicative – Pret. Subjunctive Indefinite – Indicative Future.
Resolution:
Fueron: Pret. Indefinite Indicative
Ha operated: Past Perfect Indicative
Eran: Imperfect Indicative Past
Haya facilitated: Past Perfecto Subjunctive
Tendrian: Simple Conditional
Resolution: letter B
By Renata Martins Gornattes
Spanish teacher
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
GORNATTES, Renata Martins. "Simple conditional (Future of past tense)"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/espanhol/condicional-simple-futuro-do-preterito.htm. Accessed on December 17, 2021.
