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11.3: The conditional

  • Page ID
    415689

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    The Conditional Tense

    The conditional tense depends on other actions to take place. The conditional explains actions that might happen if other actions happen. In English we use the word would before an infinitive. In Spanish, we use the whole infinitive and a conditional tense ending. Note how all verbs, -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs use the same endings in the conditional, just like they did in the future. For example

    comprar

    compraría compraremos

    comprarías compraríais

    compraría comprarían

    beber

    bebería beberíamos

    beberías beberíais

    bebería beberían

    vivir

    viviría viviríamos

    vivirías viviríais

    viviría vivirían

    Just like in the future tense, there are no spelling changing or stem changing verbs. The eleven verbs that were irregular in the future are also irregular in the conditional. In order to remember them, we learned the question and answer “Does Harry Play Poker Saturdays? Then Visit Quiet, Caring, Henry Smith.”

    The eleven verbs that are irregular in the future and conditional are:

    verb instead of the infinitive, use

    decir dir

    hacer har

    poder poder

    poner pondr

    saber sabr

    tener tendr

    venir vendr

    querer querr

    caber cabr

    haber habr

    salir saldr

    Again, note how some of these irregular verbs use a part of the original infinitive, others lose the letter e in the -ER ending, and the rest substitute the letter d for e before the final R.

    For example

    decir

    diría diríamos

    dirías diríais

    diría dirían

    querer

    querría querríamos

    querrías querríais

    querría querrían

    poner

    pondría pondríamos

    pondrías pondríais

    pondría pondrían

    Remember, these eleven verbs are the only verbs that are not regular in the future and conditional tenses. So, we are ready to practice.

    Práctica.

    A. Conjugate the following verbs in the conditional tense.

    hablar comprender recibir

    hacer salir tener

    B. Conjugate the verbs in the conditional in the indicated form.

    1. Yo cantar la canción.

    2. Nosotros (beber) ____________________________café antes del examen.

    3. Tú (ir) _________________________a trabajar.

    4. Usted (preparar) _____________________________ para la clase

    5. Ustedes (cocinar) _________________________ los tacos.

    6. Tú (dormir) __________________________ tarde este fin de semana.

    7. Yo siempre (hacer) ______________________ toda mi tarea.

    8. Ustedes (saber) _________________________todas las repuestas.

    9. Nosotros (tener) __________________________calor en el verano.

    10. La clase (decir) _________________________ las respuestas.

    11.Mis padres (querer) _______________________ celebrar conmigo.

    12.La profesora (tratar) _______________________ de explicar la gramática.

    C. Translate the sentences into Spanish.

    1. We would study a lot.

    2. I would write the grammar.

    3. She would read the book.

    4. You (familiar, singular) would not use your phone.

    5. You (formal, singular) would go home.

    6. My friends would watch the program.

    7. I would eat dinner after work.

    8. You (formal, plural) would speak Spanish in class.

    9. The dogs would run.

    10. They would listen to the radio.

    D. Think about our world. Write five things you would like to change. Write what youwould change if you could. You can start your sentences with SI PUDIERA which means if I could.

    1.

    2.

    3.

    4.

    5.

    E. La música. The song Si el norte fuera el sur by Ricardo Arjona is an important song from 1996 that examines social and political aspects. It asks us to imagine how the world would be if the north were the south and the south were the north. Listen to the song. Then, listen to it a second time and write the verbs that you hear in the conditional tense.

    F. When do we use the conditional verb tense? How is conjugating it the same as conjugating in the future tense? How is it different? Do you think it is a verb tense you will use often? Why or why not?


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