B2 · Obere Mittelstufe Kapitel 20

Hypotheticals and Polite Requests

6 Gesamtregeln
60 Beispiele
7 Min.
Regeln in diesem Kapitel Schnelle Übung

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of nuance by using the conditional tense to express polite requests and hypothetical scenarios.

  • Conjugate the 'Big Three' irregular verbs in the conditional.
  • Construct complex 'would' sentences for social grace.
  • Apply the conditional to speculate about past events.
Speak with grace: Master the Portuguese conditional.

Was du lernen wirst

Ready to elevate your Portuguese and sound truly authentic? This chapter is your key to unlocking sophisticated and nuanced conversations, just like a native speaker! Here, you'll dive deep into the Conditional tense (Futuro do Pretérito) to express everything from polite desires and hypothetical scenarios to educated guesses about the past. We'll start by mastering the Big Three irregular verbs—dizer, fazer, and trazer—which transform into dir-, far-, and trar- before taking their endings. Then, you'll discover how effortlessly you can form the would tense in Portuguese by adding simple -ia endings to verb infinitives. Imagine yourself in a crucial situation, perhaps delicately negotiating a business deal or making a very polite request to a waiter in a chic restaurant. These skills will empower you to express yourself with grace and avoid sounding overly direct. Or, think about those times you want to speculate about past events, expressing doubt or suggesting possibilities—like saying,

He must have been there
or
She would have known.
This chapter gives you the tools to do just that. We’ll build your foundation with the irregular Big Three, then move to the general pattern of conditional formation for all other verbs. Finally, you’ll learn to leverage this versatile tense for expressing probabilities and conjectures about past situations. By the end of this chapter, you’ll confidently construct complex conditional sentences, make impeccable polite requests, and discuss past events with subtle nuance. Your conversations will gain depth and professionalism, making you feel truly at home in Portuguese. No hypothetical situation or polite inquiry will be beyond your expressive reach!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use 'faria', 'diria', and 'traria' to make refined requests in restaurant or business settings.

Kapitel-Leitfaden

Overview

Ready to truly elevate your Portuguese and sound just like a native speaker? This chapter is your essential guide to unlocking sophisticated and nuanced conversations. We’re diving deep into the Conditional tense, known in Portuguese as the Futuro do Pretérito, a versatile tool that allows you to express everything from polite desires and hypothetical scenarios to educated guesses about the past.
Mastering this tense is a crucial step for B2 Portuguese grammar learners aiming for fluency and authenticity.
Imagine yourself in a situation where you need to make a delicate request, negotiate a business deal, or simply express a wish without sounding overly direct. The Conditional tense empowers you to do just that, adding grace and professionalism to your speech. You'll learn how to form the would tense in Portuguese, starting with the Big Three irregular verbs—dizer (to say), fazer (to do/make), and trazer (to bring)—which transform into dir-, far-, and trar- before taking their endings.
Beyond politeness, this tense is invaluable for speculating about past events. Ever wanted to say,
He must have been there
or
She would have known
in Portuguese? This chapter provides the tools to express doubt, suggest possibilities, and make conjectures about past situations with subtle nuance.
By the end, you'll confidently construct complex conditional sentences, make impeccable polite requests, and discuss past events like a seasoned Portuguese speaker. This is a game-changer for your Portuguese grammar B2 journey!

How This Grammar Works

At the heart of this chapter is the Futuro do Pretérito, or the Conditional tense, which primarily translates to would in English. We'll start by mastering the Big Three irregular verbs, which are crucial for the "Future & Conditional Stems: I will/would do (dir, far, trar)" rule. These verbs have unique stems:
* Dizer (to say) becomes dir-
* Fazer (to do/make) becomes far-
* Trazer (to bring) becomes trar-
These stems then take the standard conditional endings. For example, fazer (to do/make) conjugates as:
* Eu faria (I would do/make)
* Tu farias (You would do/make)
* Ele/Ela/Você faria (He/She/You would do/make)
* Nós faríamos (We would do/make)
* Vós faríeis (You all would do/make - mostly European Portuguese)
* Eles/Elas/Vocês fariam (They/You all would do/make)
This covers the "Short & Sweet: Irregular Conditional Stems
rule. For all other regular verbs, forming the Conditional is incredibly straightforward, aligning with the
Portuguese Conditional Tense: Saying 'Would' (Futuro do Pretérito) and Portuguese Conditional: Expressing 'Would' (Eu faria)
rules. You simply take the infinitive form of the verb and add the same
-ia" endings.
For example, with falar (to speak):
* Eu falaria (I would speak)
* Tu falarias (You would speak)
* Ele/Ela/Você falaria (He/She/You would speak)
* Nós falaríamos (We would speak)
* Vós falaríeis (You all would speak)
* Eles/Elas/Vocês falariam (They/You all would speak)
This pattern applies to all regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs. This elegant simplicity makes the "Portuguese Conditional: The 'Would' Tense (Futuro do Pretérito)
surprisingly easy to grasp. Finally, this tense is also used for
Guessing the Past: Using the Conditional for Probability." For instance, Ele estaria em casa (He would probably be at home / He must have been at home).
This allows you to express conjectures about past events, adding a layer of sophisticated nuance to your conversations.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Você vai me ajudar com isso?
    (Are you going to help me with this?)
✓ Correct:
Você me ajudaria com isso?
(Would you help me with this?)
*Explanation:* While the first sentence is grammatically correct, using the simple future (vai ajudar) can sound too direct or demanding when making a request. The Conditional tense (ajudaria) is much more polite and appropriate for asking for favors or making suggestions in Portuguese.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Eu fazeria o jantar se tivesse tempo.
    (I would make dinner if I had time.)
✓ Correct:
Eu faria o jantar se tivesse tempo.
(I would make dinner if I had time.)
*Explanation:* This common error involves regularizing the irregular verb fazer. Remember the "Short & Sweet: Irregular Conditional Stems" rule: fazer becomes far-, not fazer-. The same applies to dizer (diria, not dizeria) and trazer (traria, not trazeria).
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Ele provavelmente estava lá.
    (He probably was there.)
✓ Correct: Ele estaria lá. (He must have been there / He would have been there.)
*Explanation:* While provavelmente estava is understandable, using the Conditional tense (estaria) for
Guessing the Past: Using the Conditional for Probability
is a more natural and idiomatic way to express conjecture or an educated guess about a past event in Portuguese. It implies a higher degree of speculation or a milder assertion.

Real Conversations

A

A

Você poderia me dar uma informação? (Could you give me some information?)
B

B

Claro! O que você gostaria de saber? (Of course! What would you like to know?)
A

A

Se eu tivesse mais dinheiro, viajaria o mundo todo. (If I had more money, I would travel the whole world.)
B

B

Eu também faria o mesmo! (I would do the same too!)
A

A

Onde estaria ele ontem à noite? Não o vi em lugar nenhum. (Where would he have been last night? I didn't see him anywhere.)
B

B

Ele talvez estaria em casa, cansado do trabalho. (He might have been home, tired from work.)

Quick FAQ

Q

What is the difference between the Conditional and the Simple Future in Portuguese?

The Simple Future (futuro do presente) describes actions that *will* definitely happen (e.g., Eu farei - I will do). The Conditional (futuro do pretérito) expresses actions that *would* happen under certain conditions, polite requests, or conjectures about the past (e.g., Eu faria - I would do).

Q

Are there many irregular verbs in the Portuguese Conditional besides dizer, fazer, and trazer?

No, thankfully! These Big Three are the most common and important irregular verbs for the Conditional tense in Portuguese. Most other verbs follow the regular pattern of adding the -ia endings to their infinitive form.

Q

Can I use the Conditional to talk about things I *used to* do?

No, the Conditional tense is not typically used for past habits. For actions you *used to* do, you should use the Imperfect tense (pretérito imperfeito), such as Eu falava (I used to speak). The Conditional expresses would in hypothetical or polite contexts.

Q

How does the Conditional help with sounding more polite in Portuguese?

Using the Conditional tense softens requests and suggestions, making them less direct and more respectful. For example, instead of Quero um café (I want a coffee),

Gostaria de um café
(I would like a coffee) is much politer and more common in formal or service interactions.

Cultural Context

In Portuguese-speaking cultures, particularly in more formal settings or when interacting with strangers, politeness is highly valued. The Conditional tense is your go-to tool for demonstrating this respect. Using forms like gostaria (I would like) or poderia (you could/would be able to) in polite requests is not just good grammar; it's a social expectation.
It subtly conveys deference and consideration, making your interactions smoother and more positive. Mastering this aspect of Portuguese grammar will significantly enhance your ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in various social situations, from a chic restaurant to a professional meeting.

Wichtige Beispiele (6)

1

Eu faria tudo diferente se tivesse outra chance.

Ich würde alles anders machen, wenn ich noch eine Chance hätte.

Kurz & Bündig: Unregelmäßige Konditionalstämme
2

Você me faria um favorzinho?

Würdest du mir einen kleinen Gefallen tun?

Kurz & Bündig: Unregelmäßige Konditionalstämme
3

Eu gostaria de um café, por favor.

Ich hätte gerne einen Kaffee, bitte.

Portugiesisches Konditional: Die 'Würde'-Zeit (Futuro do Pretérito)
4

Se eu fosse você, eu não faria isso.

Wenn ich du wäre, würde ich das nicht tun.

Portugiesisches Konditional: Die 'Würde'-Zeit (Futuro do Pretérito)
5

Onde ela estaria àquela hora da noite?

Wo könnte sie zu dieser Nachtzeit wohl gewesen sein?

Vergangenheit schätzen: Das Konditional als Vermutung (Futuro do Pretérito)
6

Seriam umas três da tarde quando a chuva começou.

Es muss wohl gegen drei Uhr nachmittags gewesen sein, als der Regen anfing.

Vergangenheit schätzen: Das Konditional als Vermutung (Futuro do Pretérito)

Tipps & Tricks (4)

🎯

Das 'R' ist dein bester Freund

Jede Futur- und Konditionalform im Portugiesischen muss ein 'r' vor der Endung haben. Achte im Gespräch genau darauf:
Eu faria o trabalho amanhã.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Zukunft & Konditional Stämme: Ich werde/würde tun (dir, far, trar)
⚠️

Spanisch-Falle!

Sag nicht 'poderia' wie im Spanischen 'podría'. Im Portugiesischen ist 'Poder' ganz brav und regelmäßig:
Eu poderia ajudar você.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Kurz & Bündig: Unregelmäßige Konditionalstämme
🎯

Die Infinitiv-Regel

Hacke nicht das Ende vom Verb ab! Behalte den ganzen Infinitiv und häng einfach das -ia dran:
Eu falaria com ela agora.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesisches Konditional: 'Würde' sagen (Futuro do Pretérito)
🎯

Der brasilianische Shortcut

In der lockeren brasilianischen Umgangssprache sagen die Leute oft 'Eu queria' statt 'Eu quereria'. Das klingt in einer Bar oder unter Freunden viel natürlicher!
Eu queria pedir um suco de laranja.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesischer Konditional: Ausdrücken von 'würde' (Eu faria)

Wichtige Vokabeln (6)

Faria Would do/make Diria Would say Traria Would bring Gostaria Would like Poderia Could (would be able to) Seria Would be

Real-World Preview

coffee

Fine Dining Request

Review Summary

  • Stem + -ia, -ias, -ia, -íamos, -íeis, -iam
  • Infinitive + -ia endings

Häufige Fehler

Using 'quero' is too direct. 'Gostaria' is the polite way to express desire.

Wrong: Eu quero um café.
Richtig: Eu gostaria de um café.

Students often treat irregulars as regulars. Remember the stem 'far-'.

Wrong: Eu fazeria isso.
Richtig: Eu faria isso.

When speculating about location, use 'estar' in the conditional, not 'ser'.

Wrong: Ele teria sido lá.
Richtig: Ele estaria lá.

Regeln in diesem Kapitel (6)

1

Zukunft & Konditional Stämme: Ich werde/würde tun (dir, far, trar)

B2
Mastere die 'Big Three' Radikale: dir, far und trar für dein Profi-Level.
Eu **farei** o upload do vídeo amanhã cedo.
10 Beispiele
2

Kurz & Bündig: Unregelmäßige Konditionalstämme

B2
Die Verben Dizer, Fazer und Trazer verkürzen ihre Stämme zu Dir-, Far- und Trar-, bevor sie die typischen Konditional-Endungen erhalten.
Eu faria tudo diferente se tivesse outra chance.
10 Beispiele
3

Portugiesisches Konditional: 'Würde' sagen (Futuro do Pretérito)

B2
Nutze den Infinitiv plus -ia Endungen für hypothetische würde-Szenarien und höfliche Anfragen wie gostaria oder poderia.
Eu gostaria de um café, por favor.
10 Beispiele
4

Portugiesischer Konditional: Ausdrücken von 'würde' (Eu faria)

B2
Mit dem Konditional drückst du Wünsche und höfliche Bitten aus, indem du einfach Endungen an den Infinitiv hängst: Eu faria, Poderia und Gostaria.
Eu comeria uma pizza inteira agora.
10 Beispiele
5

Portugiesisches Konditional: Die 'Würde'-Zeit (Futuro do Pretérito)

B2
Mit dem Konditional zauberst du hypothetische würde-Szenarien und super höfliche Anfragen, indem du Endungen wie -ia direkt an den Infinitiv hängst. Nutze am besten gostaria, poderia oder faria für den perfekten Vibe.
Eu gostaria de um café, por favor.
10 Beispiele
6

Vergangenheit schätzen: Das Konditional als Vermutung (Futuro do Pretérito)

B2
Nutze den Konditional (Futuro do Pretérito), um Vermutungen anzustellen, Zweifel zu äußern oder unbestätigte Fakten über die Vergangenheit zu teilen: estaria, seria, teria feito.
Onde ela estaria àquela hora da noite?
10 Beispiele

Next Steps

You have navigated the conditional tense like a pro! Keep practicing these forms in your daily life to make them second nature.

Listen to a Portuguese podcast and note every time you hear a verb ending in -ia.

Continue to: Advanced Timelines and Completed Actions

Schnelle Übung (9)

Fülle die Lücke mit der richtigen Konditional-Form von 'gostar'.

Eu ___ de pedir uma pizza. (gostar)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: gostaria
Um 'Ich würde gerne' (höflich) zu sagen, nutzen wir das Konditional 'gostaria'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesisches Konditional: 'Würde' sagen (Futuro do Pretérito)

Welcher Satz ist grammatikalisch korrekt?

Wähle die richtige Konditional-Form für 'trazer'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós traríamos bebidas.
Der Stamm ist 'trar-' und die 'nós'-Form braucht einen Akzent auf der Endung: 'traríamos'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Kurz & Bündig: Unregelmäßige Konditionalstämme

Finde den Fehler im Satz, der eine 'Zukunft in der Vergangenheit' beschreibt.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ela disse que comerá o doce mais tarde. (Sie sagte, sie würde essen...)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela disse que comeria o doce mehr tarde.
Wenn man berichtet, was jemand tun *würde*, nutzt man das Konditional 'comeria'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesisches Konditional: 'Würde' sagen (Futuro do Pretérito)

Finde und korrigiere den Fehler.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ela dizeria a verdade.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela diria a verdade.
'Dizer' ist unregelmäßig. Der Stamm ist 'dir-', also wird es zu 'diria'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Kurz & Bündig: Unregelmäßige Konditionalstämme

Fülle die Lücke mit der richtigen Form aus.

Eu ___ (fazer) um bolo se tivesse tempo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: faria
Der Konditional-Stamm von 'fazer' ist 'far-', also heißt es 'eu faria'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Kurz & Bündig: Unregelmäßige Konditionalstämme

Welcher Satz nutzt das unregelmäßige Verb 'fazer' korrekt im Konditional?

Wähle den richtigen Satz:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu faria o trabalho amanhã.
'Fazer' ist unregelmäßig; der Stamm ändert sich zu 'far-'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesisches Konditional: 'Würde' sagen (Futuro do Pretérito)

Fülle die Lücke mit der richtigen Konditional-Form von 'comer'.

Eu ___ uma pizza inteira agora!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: comeria
Für die erste Person Singular ('Eu') hängen wir '-ia' an den Infinitiv 'comer' an.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesisches Konditional: Die 'Würde'-Zeit (Futuro do Pretérito)

Finde und korrigiere den Fehler in diesem Satz.

Find and fix the mistake:

Nós falariamos com ele se tivéssemos tempo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós falaríamos com ele se tivéssemos tempo.
Die 'nós'-Form im Konditional benötigt immer einen Akzent auf dem 'í' (falaríamos).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesisches Konditional: Die 'Würde'-Zeit (Futuro do Pretérito)

Welcher Satz ist grammatikalisch korrekt?

Wähle die richtige unregelmäßige Form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu faria a tarefa se pudesse.
'Fazer' ist im Konditional unregelmäßig; die korrekte Form ist 'faria'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesisches Konditional: Die 'Würde'-Zeit (Futuro do Pretérito)

Score: /9

Häufige Fragen (6)

Ja! Dizer (dir-), Fazer (far-) und Trazer (trar-) sind die einzigen Ausnahmen in der ganzen Sprache für diese Zeitformen.
Eu direi tudo para você.
In der brasilianischen Umgangssprache hört man oft 'ia fazer', aber 'faria' klingt eleganter.
Eu faria isso por você.
Sprachentwicklung ist manchmal lustig! Die meisten Verben wurden mit der Zeit regelmäßig, aber diese drei werden so oft genutzt, dass die alten Kurzformen blieben:
Eu faria isso immer.
Eigentlich nicht! Obwohl 'pôr' oft seltsam ist, ist sein Konditional regelmäßig vom Infinitiv abgeleitet:
Eu poria o livro hier.
Es wird 'Futuro do Pretérito' genannt und drückt aus, was unter bestimmten Bedingungen passieren würde:
Eu iria se pudesse.
Du nimmst den Infinitiv und hängst -ia, -ia, -íamos oder -iam an:
Eu falaria com você amanhã.
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