Portuguese Conditional: Expressing 'Would' (Eu faria)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The Conditional mood expresses what 'would' happen under certain conditions or makes polite requests.
- Use it for hypothetical actions: 'Eu comeria se tivesse fome' (I would eat if I were hungry).
- Use it for polite requests: 'Você poderia me ajudar?' (Could you help me?).
- Formation: Take the infinitive and add -ia, -ias, -ia, -íamos, -íeis, -iam.
Overview
The Portuguese Conditional, formally known as the Futuro do Pretérito (Future of the Past), is a verb tense fundamental for expressing actions that would happen under specific conditions, formulating polite requests, or describing future actions from a past viewpoint. It acts as the primary vehicle for the hypothetical mood, enabling speakers to articulate possibilities, desires, and unfulfilled intentions. Mastery of the Condicional is a critical milestone for B2 learners, allowing for nuanced expression beyond simple factual statements and facilitating engagement with speculation, courtesy, and complex narrative structures.
Its acquisition signifies a significant step toward native-like fluency, empowering communication in sophisticated hypothetical scenarios and deepening your understanding of Portuguese communication. This tense reflects a speaker's subjective stance, placing actions outside immediate reality or certainty.
Conjugation Table
| Person | -ar Verbs (e.g., falar) |
-er Verbs (e.g., comer) |
-ir Verbs (e.g., abrir) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :--------------- | :------------------------ | :------------------------ | :------------------------ | ||
| eu | falaria |
comeria |
abriria |
||
| tu | falarias |
comerias |
abririas |
||
| você/ele/ela | falaria |
comeria |
abriria |
||
| nós | falaríamos |
comeríamos |
abriríamos |
||
| vós | falaríeis |
comeríeis |
abriríeis |
||
| vocês/eles/elas | falariam |
comeriam |
abririam |
How This Grammar Works
Condicional operates by establishing a grammatical and psychological distance from present reality. While the indicative mood (present, past, simple future) generally conveys factual statements or certain future events, the conditional introduces an element of contingency, hypotheticality, or unrealized potential. It allows you to conceptualize actions that are not actualized but depend on specific conditions.Condicional functions as a modal tense, blending temporal aspects (future relative to a past point) with mood (hypothetical). Its consistent structure, where endings are applied to the infinitive, reflects its historical evolution from Vulgar Latin, combining the infinitive with the imperfect tense of habere (to have). This historical origin clarifies its name, Futuro do Pretérito: it's a future action (Futuro) that is viewed from a past perspective (Pretérito), making it inherently conditional or dependent on a past-imagined scenario.Se eu tivesse tempo, eu viajaria (If I had time, I would travel), viajaria is contingent on the unrealized condition se eu tivesse tempo, highlighting its dependent nature. This non-factual nature is its defining characteristic, enabling the expression of possibilities, softened demands, and conjectures.Formation Pattern
Condicional is one of the most straightforward conjugations, especially when compared to many of the complex past tenses. The core principle involves taking the entire infinitive form of a verb and directly appending a specific set of endings. This rule applies universally to all regular verbs, whether they end in -ar, -er, or -ir, making it highly predictable and easy to apply.
-ar, -er, or -ir ending, the Condicional requires you to keep the complete infinitive form. For instance, for verbs like falar (to speak), comer (to eat), and partir (to leave), you retain falar, comer, and partir in their entirety before adding the conditional endings.
-ia, -ias, -ia, -íamos, -íeis, -iam across all conjugations. The eu and você/ele/ela forms are identical, necessitating contextual cues or explicit pronouns for disambiguation. For example, Eu estudaria mais se tivesse mais tempo (I would study more if I had more time) uses the same verb form estudaria as Ele estudaria mais (He would study more).
Futuro do Presente tense, providing a useful mnemonic connection. For instance:
dizer -> dir- + endings: eu diria, tu dirias, ele diria, nós diríamos, vós diríeis, eles diriam.
fazer -> far- + endings: eu faria, tu farias, ele faria, nós faríamos, vós faríeis, eles fariam.
trazer -> trar- + endings: eu traria, tu trarias, ele traria, nós traríamos, vós traríeis, eles trariam.
Condicional relatively accessible to master, provided you internalize the few irregular stems and consistently apply the standard endings.
When To Use It
Condicional serves multiple key functions in Portuguese, adding crucial layers of nuance to your communication. Understanding these contexts is essential for appropriate and effective usage.- Polite Requests and Suggestions: This is arguably the most common everyday application. The
Condicionalsoftens directness, making requests, offers, or suggestions sound more courteous and less demanding. It frames an action as a possibility or a desire rather than an imperative. Você poderia me ajudar com isso?(Could you help me with this?) – much softer and more polite thanVocê pode me ajudar?(Can you help me?).Eu gostaria de um café, por favor.(I would like a coffee, please.) – the standard polite way to order something.Seria bom se você chegasse mais cedo.(It would be good if you arrived earlier.) – a gentle suggestion.
- Hypothetical Situations (Type 2 Conditional): The
Condicionalis central to expressing hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situations in the present or future. It's often used inse(if) clauses where the condition is expressed in theImperfeito do Conjuntivo(Imperfect Subjunctive). Se eu tivesse dinheiro, eu viajaria pelo mundo.(If I had money, I would travel the world.) – The condition (tivesse) is unreal in the present, leading to a hypothetical outcome (viajaria).Se ela estudasse mais, passaria no exame.(If she studied more, she would pass the exam.) – The current lack of studying leads to a hypothetical negative outcome.
- Hypothetical Situations (Type 3 Conditional - Compound Conditional): While this rule focuses on the simple conditional (
Eu faria), the compound conditional (Eu teria feito) is used for hypothetical situations in the past that did not happen. TheCondicionaloften forms the second part of such constructions. Se eu tivesse sabido, eu teria ido à festa.(If I had known, I would have gone to the party.) – This indicates a past opportunity that was missed.
- Reported Speech (Future in the Past): When reporting something that was expressed as a future action from a past perspective, the
Condicionalis used. Ele disse que viria amanhã.(He said he would come tomorrow.) – Original thought:Eu virei amanhã(I will come tomorrow).Ela prometeu que nos ajudaria.(She promised that she would help us.) – Original thought:Eu vou ajudar vocês(I will help you).
- Probability or Conjecture in the Past: The
Condicionalcan be used to express supposition, probability, or guessing about a past event, similar to
Conditional Conjugation (-ar, -er, -ir)
| Pronoun | -ar (Falar) | -er (Comer) | -ir (Partir) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Eu
|
Falaria
|
Comeria
|
Partiria
|
|
Você/Ele/Ela
|
Falaria
|
Comeria
|
Partiria
|
|
Nós
|
Falaríamos
|
Comeríamos
|
Partiríamos
|
|
Vocês/Eles/Elas
|
Falariam
|
Comeriam
|
Partiriam
|
Meanings
The conditional mood is used to express actions that are dependent on a condition, or to soften requests.
Hypothetical
Actions that would occur given a condition.
“Eu compraria aquele carro.”
“Nós sairíamos mais cedo.”
Politeness
Softening a request or desire.
“Você poderia me dar um copo d'água?”
“Eu gostaria de um café.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Infinitive + ia
|
Eu comeria
|
|
Negative
|
Não + Infinitive + ia
|
Eu não comeria
|
|
Question
|
Infinitive + ia + subject?
|
Você comeria?
|
|
Irregular
|
Stem change + ia
|
Eu faria
|
|
Polite Request
|
Poderia + infinitive
|
Poderia ajudar?
|
|
Past Hypothetical
|
Teria + past participle
|
Eu teria ido
|
Formality Spectrum
Eu gostaria de um café, por favor. (Ordering at a cafe)
Eu queria um café. (Ordering at a cafe)
Me vê um café aí. (Ordering at a cafe)
Manda um café pra mim. (Ordering at a cafe)
Conditional Usage Map
Functions
- Politeness Requests
- Hypothesis What if
Formation
- Infinitive Base
- Endings -ia, -ias...
Examples by Level
Eu gostaria de um café.
I would like a coffee.
Você poderia me ajudar?
Could you help me?
Eu faria isso.
I would do that.
Nós comeríamos agora.
We would eat now.
Eu viajaria se tivesse dinheiro.
I would travel if I had money.
Ele diria a verdade.
He would tell the truth.
Vocês sairiam cedo?
Would you leave early?
Eu não faria isso nunca.
I would never do that.
Se eu fosse você, eu estudaria mais.
If I were you, I would study more.
Ela disse que viria hoje.
She said she would come today.
Nós gostaríamos de saber o preço.
We would like to know the price.
Eles não aceitariam essa oferta.
They wouldn't accept this offer.
Eu teria ido à festa se tivesse sido convidado.
I would have gone to the party if I had been invited.
Poderia me informar sobre os horários?
Could you inform me about the schedules?
Seria interessante analisar os dados.
It would be interesting to analyze the data.
Eu não saberia dizer com certeza.
I wouldn't know how to say for sure.
Segundo fontes, o governo estaria considerando novas medidas.
According to sources, the government is reportedly considering new measures.
Quem diria que chegaríamos tão longe?
Who would have thought we would get this far?
Eu jamais teria imaginado tal desfecho.
I would never have imagined such an outcome.
Seria loucura ignorar os fatos.
It would be madness to ignore the facts.
Deveria ter sido feito de outra forma, mas o destino quis assim.
It should have been done differently, but fate willed it so.
Haveria de ser um dia inesquecível.
It was destined to be an unforgettable day.
Se soubesse, não teria dito nada.
If I had known, I wouldn't have said anything.
Poder-se-ia argumentar que a teoria é falha.
One could argue that the theory is flawed.
Easily Confused
Learners often use 'queria' (I wanted) when they should use 'gostaria' (I would like) for politeness.
Learners mix up 'will' and 'would'.
Learners put the conditional inside the 'if' clause.
Common Mistakes
Eu quero um café (when asking)
Eu gostaria de um café
Eu vai fazer
Eu faria
Eu fariaia
Eu faria
Eu faria se tenho
Eu faria se tivesse
Eu faria se eu tenho
Eu faria se eu tivesse
Você pode me ajudar?
Você poderia me ajudar?
Ele diria a verdade se ele sabe
Ele diria a verdade se ele soubesse
Se eu teria dinheiro, eu compraria
Se eu tivesse dinheiro, eu compraria
Eu gostaria que você faz
Eu gostaria que você fizesse
Eu faria isso amanhã
Eu faria isso se pudesse
O governo estaria vai fazer
O governo estaria fazendo
Se ele teria vindo
Se ele tivesse vindo
Eu diria que ele é
Eu diria que ele fosse
Sentence Patterns
Eu ___ (verb) se ___ (condition).
Você poderia ___ (verb) por favor?
Eu gostaria de ___ (verb).
Se eu fosse você, eu ___ (verb).
Real World Usage
Eu gostaria de um hambúrguer.
Eu gostaria de saber sobre os benefícios.
Você iria à festa?
Poderia confirmar minha reserva?
Eu aceitaria se o preço fosse menor.
Quem não gostaria de viajar agora?
The 'IA' Rule
No Conditional after 'Se'
Politeness
Regional Variation
Smart Tips
Use 'gostaria' instead of 'quero' to sound more polite.
Remember the 'if' clause uses the imperfect subjunctive.
Only three verbs change their stem in the conditional.
If you mean 'would', use the -ia ending.
Pronunciation
Stress
The stress is always on the 'i' in the ending (-ia, -íamos).
Polite Request
Você poderia me ajudar? ↗
Rising intonation at the end makes it sound more polite.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember the 'IA' sound: 'I-A' sounds like 'I-A' (I would).
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing at a fork in the road, holding a sign that says 'IA' (I would go this way).
Rhyme
Para o futuro do pretérito usar, o infinitivo você deve guardar, e 'ia' no final adicionar!
Story
Maria wanted to travel. She said, 'Eu viajaria (I would travel) if I had money.' She asked the agent, 'Você poderia (Could you) help me?' The agent said, 'Eu faria (I would do) it if I could.'
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about what you would do if you won the lottery.
Cultural Notes
Brazilians often use the imperfect indicative ('Eu queria') instead of the conditional ('Eu gostaria') in casual settings to sound less formal.
In Portugal, the conditional is used more strictly according to standard grammar rules.
In business, using the conditional is mandatory to show respect and professionalism.
The Portuguese conditional evolved from the Latin infinitive plus the imperfect of 'habere' (to have).
Conversation Starters
O que você faria se ganhasse na loteria?
Você poderia me dizer onde fica o banco?
Se você pudesse viajar para qualquer lugar, para onde iria?
Você gostaria de jantar comigo hoje?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Eu ___ (falar) com ele se pudesse.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Eu quero um café, por favor.
Eu quero ir. -> Eu ___ ir.
Nós ___ (comer).
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Você me ajuda? B: Eu ___ (ajudar) se tivesse tempo.
faria / eu / isso / se / pudesse
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesEu ___ (falar) com ele se pudesse.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Eu quero um café, por favor.
Eu quero ir. -> Eu ___ ir.
Nós ___ (comer).
Fazer -> ?
A: Você me ajuda? B: Eu ___ (ajudar) se tivesse tempo.
faria / eu / isso / se / pudesse
Score: /8
Practice Bank
7 exercisesNós ___ a sobremesa se você quisesse.
They would live in Brazil.
Eu dizeria a verdade.
faria / você / o que / ?
Match these:
Se eu tivesse tempo, eu ___ um gato.
Quem ___ que aprender português seria tão legal?
Score: /7
FAQ (8)
Yes, in casual Brazilian Portuguese, 'queria' is very common for requests.
Mostly, but it can also be used for politeness or reported speech.
No, only three: dizer, fazer, and trazer.
Because 'se' introduces the condition, which requires the subjunctive mood.
No, future is for certainty, conditional is for 'would'.
Just add 'não' before the verb: 'Eu não faria'.
Yes, it is essential for formal correspondence.
No, the verb conjugation is the same for all genders.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Condicional
Minor spelling differences in some irregular verbs.
Conditionnel
French uses a different set of endings.
Konjunktiv II
German is analytical (two words), Portuguese is synthetic (one word).
Conditional (-tara / -ba)
Japanese does not have a 'would' tense in the same way.
Conditional particles
Arabic relies on particles rather than verb conjugation.
Modal verbs
Chinese verbs do not conjugate.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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