Portuguese Conditional: Regular -er Verbs (I would eat...)
-ia to any regular -er infinitive to create a polite or hypothetical 'would' statement.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the conditional to express hypothetical actions or polite requests by adding the '-ia' suffix to the full infinitive verb.
- Keep the full infinitive verb (e.g., 'comer').
- Add the conditional endings: -ia, -ias, -ia, -íamos, -íeis, -iam.
- The endings are the same for all -er and -ir verbs.
Overview
The Portuguese Conditional, known as the Futuro do Pretérito, expresses actions or states that would happen under certain conditions, or that would have happened in a past hypothetical scenario. It serves as a crucial tool for expressing politeness, making suggestions, discussing hypothetical situations, and reporting future actions from a past perspective. For B1 learners, mastering this tense significantly enhances communicative ability and cultural fluency.
Unlike many other Portuguese tenses, the Conditional for regular -er verbs demonstrates remarkable consistency. Once the foundational pattern for one regular -er verb is understood, it applies uniformly to all others in this category. This regularity stems from its formation directly from the infinitive, offering a predictable and essential grammatical structure for intermediate learners.
Conjugation Table
| Pronoun | Ending | Comer (to eat) |
Beber (to drink) |
Vender (to sell) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :-------------- | :------- | :--------------- | :----------------- | :----------------- | ||
Eu |
-ia |
comeria |
beberia |
venderia |
||
Tu (EP) |
-ias |
comerias |
beberias |
venderias |
||
Você/Ele/Ela |
-ia |
comeria |
beberia |
venderia |
||
Nós |
-íamos |
comeríamos |
beberíamos |
venderíamos |
||
Vós (EP) |
-íeis |
comeríeis |
beberíeis |
venderíeis |
||
Vocês/Eles/Elas |
-iam |
comeriam |
beberiam |
venderiam |
How This Grammar Works
Eu comeria se tivesse tempo (I would eat if I had time) clearly links the action of eating to the condition of having time. This makes the conditional the backbone of Type II conditional sentences in Portuguese.Eu gostaria de um café (I would like a coffee) is inherently softer and more polite than Eu quero um café (I want a coffee), reflecting a nuanced understanding of social interaction.Ele disse que venderia o carro (He said he would sell the car) frames the act of selling as a future event relative to the moment he spoke, even though both the saying and the potential selling are now in the past.Formation Pattern
-er verbs is one of the most straightforward conjugation patterns in the language. The key principle is the preservation of the full infinitive of the verb, to which the specific conditional endings are directly appended. This contrasts with other tenses, such as the present or preterite, where the infinitive ending is removed before conjugating.
-er verbs, this will always end in -er, such as aprender (to learn), correr (to run), or responder (to answer).
-er ending. This is crucial. For example, with aprender, you retain the entire aprender form.
aprender:
Eu + aprender + -ia → Eu aprenderia (I would learn)
Nós + aprender + -íamos → Nós aprenderíamos (We would learn)
Eles + aprender + -iam → Eles aprenderiam (They would learn)
When To Use It
- Hypothetical Situations and Unreal Conditions: This is the most recognized use. The Conditional is frequently paired with
se(if) clauses to discuss actions that would occur given a specific, often unreal or unlikely, condition. The structure typically followsSe + Imperfeito do Subjuntivo, Condicional. For example,Se eu tivesse dinheiro, eu compraria um carro novo.(If I had money, I would buy a new car.) Here, the condition (ter dinheiro) is contrary to present fact, and the consequence (comprar) is hypothetical. Another example:Se você corresse mais rápido, você ganharia a corrida.(If you ran faster, you would win the race.)
- Polite Requests, Desires, and Suggestions: To soften a request or express a desire without sounding demanding, the Conditional is preferred. This is a vital cultural aspect of Portuguese communication.
Eu gostaria de um café, por favor.(I would like a coffee, please.) is significantly more polite thanEu quero um café.(I want a coffee.) Similarly,Você poderia me ajudar com isso?(Could you help me with this?) is a gentle inquiry. Consider suggesting a movie:Que filme você assistiria hoje à noite?(What movie would you watch tonight?).
- Future in the Past (Reported Speech): When reporting what someone said they would do from a past perspective, the Conditional is employed. This creates a logical sequence of tenses. For instance,
Ele disse que viajaria para o Brasil no mês seguinte.(He said he would travel to Brazil the following month.) The traveling was future at the moment he spoke, but now, both the saying and the potential traveling are past events. Another example:Ela prometeu que escreveria a carta até o fim do dia.(She promised she would write the letter by the end of the day.)
- Giving Advice or Mild Criticism: The Conditional can frame advice as a suggestion rather than a direct command, or express gentle disapproval.
Eu faria diferente no seu lugar.(I would do it differently in your place.) provides advice.Você deveria ter me ligado.(You should have called me.) implies mild criticism or regret for an unfulfilled action.
- Uncertainty or Probability in the Past: Although less common, the Conditional can also express an assumption or speculation about a past event.
A essa hora, ele estaria dormindo.(At that hour, he would probably be sleeping.) implies a likely state in the past, without absolute certainty.
Common Mistakes
-er verbs. Awareness of these pitfalls can prevent common errors and improve accuracy.- Confusing Conditional with Imperfect Indicative: This is perhaps the most prevalent error. Both tenses share similar endings (
-ia,-ias, etc.), but the crucial distinction for-erverbs is the presence of therfrom the infinitive in the Conditional.Eu comia(Imperfect, I used to eat/was eating) describes habitual or ongoing past actions.Eu comeria(Conditional, I would eat) describes a hypothetical action. Theris the critical indicator of the conditional. Omitting it completely alters the temporal and modal meaning. For example,Quando eu era criança, eu lia muitos livros.(When I was a child, I used to read many books.) vs.Se eu tivesse tempo, eu leria mais livros.(If I had time, I would read more books.)
- Removing the
-erEnding: Learners sometimes mistakenly remove the-erfrom the infinitive stem before adding conditional endings, treating it like other conjugation patterns. Remember, the entire infinitive (comer,vender,aprender) serves as the base. Attempting to conjugatecomerlikecom + eriais incorrect and will likely lead to an awkward or unintelligible form.
- Incorrect Accentuation: The
Nósform (-íamos) requires an accent on thei(comeríamos) to maintain correct phonetic stress. Neglecting this accent can lead to mispronunciation and, in some cases, confusion with other verb forms or an unidiomatic sound. While often understood, proper accentuation contributes significantly to native-like fluency.
- Overuse of
queriainstead ofgostariafor Politeness: In informal Brazilian Portuguese,Eu queria(I wanted) is frequently used to mean
Conditional Conjugation for -er Verbs (e.g., Comer)
| Pronoun | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Eu
|
-ia
|
comeria
|
|
Você/Ele/Ela
|
-ia
|
comeria
|
|
Nós
|
-íamos
|
comeríamos
|
|
Vocês/Eles/Elas
|
-iam
|
comeriam
|
Meanings
The conditional mood is used to express actions that would happen under certain conditions or to make polite requests.
Hypothetical
Actions dependent on a condition.
“Eu beberia café se estivesse frio.”
“Nós venderíamos a casa se pudéssemos.”
Politeness
Softening a request or desire.
“Eu gostaria de um café.”
“Você poderia me ajudar?”
Future in the Past
Referring to a future event from a past perspective.
“Ele disse que comeria mais tarde.”
“Eu sabia que eles venderiam o carro.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Infinitive + -ia
|
Eu comeria
|
|
Negative
|
Não + Infinitive + -ia
|
Eu não comeria
|
|
Question
|
Infinitive + -ia?
|
Você comeria?
|
|
Polite Request
|
Gostaria de + Infinitive
|
Eu gostaria de comer
|
|
Hypothetical
|
Se + Imperfect Subjunctive + Conditional
|
Se eu pudesse, comeria
|
|
Future-in-past
|
Verb (past) + que + Conditional
|
Ele disse que comeria
|
Formality Spectrum
Eu gostaria de um café. (Ordering in a cafe)
Eu queria um café. (Ordering in a cafe)
Queria um café. (Ordering in a cafe)
Manda um café aí. (Ordering in a cafe)
Conditional Usage Map
Function
- Politeness Softening requests
- Hypothetical If-then scenarios
Formation
- Infinitive Keep the whole verb
- Suffix Add -ia
Examples by Level
Eu comeria pizza.
I would eat pizza.
Você beberia água?
Would you drink water?
Eu gostaria de um café.
I would like a coffee.
Nós venderíamos o carro.
We would sell the car.
Se eu tivesse tempo, eu leria mais.
If I had time, I would read more.
Ele disse que comeria depois.
He said he would eat later.
Você poderia me ajudar?
Could you help me?
Eles não beberiam isso.
They wouldn't drink that.
Eu comeria mais se a comida fosse melhor.
I would eat more if the food were better.
Nós venderíamos a casa se o preço fosse bom.
We would sell the house if the price were good.
Você leria este documento para mim?
Would you read this document for me?
Ela prometeu que beberia menos café.
She promised she would drink less coffee.
Eu não comeria carne se soubesse a origem.
I wouldn't eat meat if I knew the origin.
Eles venderiam a empresa se recebessem uma oferta.
They would sell the company if they received an offer.
Você poderia confirmar se eles leriam o contrato?
Could you confirm if they would read the contract?
Nós beberíamos vinho se estivéssemos em Portugal.
We would drink wine if we were in Portugal.
Eu comeria o que fosse servido, por educação.
I would eat whatever was served, out of politeness.
Se a proposta fosse aceita, eles venderiam tudo.
If the proposal were accepted, they would sell everything.
Eu leria as entrelinhas antes de assinar.
I would read between the lines before signing.
Eles beberiam do mesmo cálice, metaforicamente.
They would drink from the same chalice, metaphorically.
Eu comeria o pão que o diabo amassou por você.
I would endure great hardship for you.
Venderiam a própria alma por um pouco de poder.
They would sell their own soul for a bit of power.
Leria o mundo se pudesse, mas o tempo é escasso.
I would read the world if I could, but time is scarce.
Beberiam o néctar dos deuses se lhes fosse dado.
They would drink the nectar of the gods if it were given to them.
Easily Confused
Both end in -ia, but one is hypothetical and the other is past habit.
Both express future, but one is certain and one is hypothetical.
Learners mix up the conditional clause with the subjunctive clause.
Common Mistakes
Eu comia pizza.
Eu comeria pizza.
Eu comeria pizza.
Eu comeria pizza.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria-ia.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Nós comeriamos.
Nós comeríamos.
Eu comeria se eu comi.
Eu comeria se eu comesse.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria se eu teria comido.
Eu teria comido se eu pudesse.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Eu comeria.
Sentence Patterns
Eu ___ (comer) se tivesse fome.
Você ___ (poder) me ajudar?
Eles ___ (vender) a casa.
Nós ___ (ler) o livro.
Real World Usage
Eu gostaria de um hambúrguer.
Comeria uma pizza agora!
Eu gostaria de saber mais sobre a vaga.
Você poderia me indicar um hotel?
Você preferiria praia ou campo?
Eu venderia essa ideia para o cliente.
Keep the Infinitive
Accent on 'í'
Politeness
Regional usage
Smart Tips
Use 'gostaria' to sound like a native speaker.
Use the conditional for hypothetical plans, not definite ones.
Use the conditional to soften requests.
Use the conditional for 'future-in-the-past'.
Pronunciation
Stress
The 'i' in the conditional ending is always stressed.
Rising
Você comeria? ↗
Indicates a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'IA' as 'I Am' (imagining). I am imagining a different reality.
Visual Association
Imagine a waiter holding a tray. He asks 'Gostaria?' (Would you like?). The tray is full of 'IA' stickers.
Rhyme
For -er and -ir, don't be shy, just add the ending -ia to the sky.
Story
I was sitting in a cafe. I thought, 'I would eat (comeria) a cake.' Then I thought, 'I would drink (beberia) tea.' Finally, I decided, 'I would read (leria) a book.'
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about what you would do if you won the lottery using -er verbs.
Cultural Notes
The conditional is often replaced by the imperfect indicative ('queria') in informal speech for politeness.
The conditional is used more strictly according to grammatical rules in formal settings.
Similar to Brazil, the conditional is often softened in daily speech.
The conditional mood in Portuguese evolved from the Latin infinitive plus the imperfect of 'habere' (to have).
Conversation Starters
O que você comeria se estivesse em Paris?
Você poderia me dizer as horas?
Se você ganhasse na loteria, o que venderia?
Você leria um livro de 1000 páginas?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Eu ___ (comer) se tivesse fome.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Nós comeriamos.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Eles ___.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Quer um café? B: Eu ___.
Eu / ler / o livro.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesEu ___ (comer) se tivesse fome.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Nós comeriamos.
pizza / comeria / Eu
Eles ___.
Eu -> ?
A: Quer um café? B: Eu ___.
Eu / ler / o livro.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesVocê ___ (beber) uma cerveja gelada?
Translate to Portuguese:
gostaria | Eu | de | comer | algo | agora
Match the pairs:
Choose the correct sentence:
Eu bebia um vinho se tivesse dinheiro.
Se elas pudessem, ___ (vender) tudo.
Choose the most polite option for ordering food:
Translate to Portuguese:
você | O | beberia | que | ?
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No! Keep the full infinitive and add the suffix.
Yes, the endings are identical for -er and -ir verbs.
It's a common informal way to be polite without sounding too formal.
Just put 'não' before the verb.
No, it's for hypothetical situations, not certain future events.
Forgetting the accent on the 'í' in the 'nós' form.
Yes, as a 'future-in-the-past' to report what someone said they would do.
Not at all! It's one of the most consistent verb forms in Portuguese.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Condicional
Portuguese keeps the infinitive, Spanish often modifies the stem.
Conditionnel
French pronunciation is vastly different.
Konjunktiv II
German is not a synthetic verb form.
Conditional (-tara)
Japanese does not have a 'would' mood.
Conditional particles
Arabic relies on particles, not verb conjugation.
Conditional markers
Chinese has no verb conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Videos
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