The conditional simple in Spanish is a verb tense used to express actions or events that would happen under certain conditions. It's similar to the English "would" + verb.
When to Use the Conditional Simple:
To express a hypothetical situation:
Example: "Yo iría a la fiesta, pero estoy cansado."
Translation: "I would go to the party, but I’m tired."
To make polite requests or offers:
Example: "¿Podrías ayudarme?"
Translation: "Could you help me?"
To express a future action from a past perspective:
Example: "Ella dijo que llegaría temprano."
Translation: "She said she would arrive early."
To express doubt or uncertainty in the past:
Example: "Serían las tres cuando salió."
Translation: "It was probably three o'clock when she left."
How to Form the Conditional Simple:
Regular verbs: Add the following endings to the infinitive form of the verb:
-ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían
Example: "Hablar" (to speak) → "Hablaría" (I would speak)
Irregular verbs: These verbs have stem changes but use the same endings.
Example: "Tener" (to have) → "Tendría" (I would have)
The conditional simple is a versatile tense used for expressing what could happen, would happen, or might have happened under different circumstances.