Eastfield College -- Potential Simple

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Potential Simple

The following endings are added to the whole infinitive. (-ar, -er and -ir verbs)
ía, ías, ía, íamos, ían

The usual translation in English is: I would talk, you would talk, etc.; would drink, you would drink, etc.; I would receive, you would receive, etc.

The conditional is used in Spanish and in English to express:

(a) An action that you would do if something else were possible
Irá a España si tuviera dinero. I would go to Spain if I had the money.

(b)     A conditional desire. This is a conditional courtesy.
                  Me gustaría tomar una limonada. I would like (should like) to have a limonade (if
                  you are willing for me to have it.)

(c)     A direct quotation
                  María dijo que vendría mañana. Mary said she would come tomorrow.
                  María decía que vendría mañana. Mary was saying she would come tomorrow.
                  María había dicho que vendría manana. Mary had said that she would come
                  tomorrow.

(d) Conjecture regarding the past.
¿Quién sería? I wonder who that was.

(e) Probability regarding the past.
Serían las cinco cuando salieron.. It was probably five o´clock when they went out.

Hester Chamberlain
Learning Assistance Center
Eastfield College