Portuguese Conditional: Regular -er Verb

Most Portuguese tenses require you to remove the -er. Not the Conditional! You keep the entire infinitive form. For example, take the verb comer (to eat). You do not remove the -er. You keep comer exactly as it is. Then, you simply glue a specific ending onto it. This makes it very predictable. It is like a Lego set. The base (the infinitive) never changes. The endings tell us who is doing the action. These endings are the same for all regular verbs. Whether it ends in -ar, -er, or -ir, the endings stay the same. This is a rare moment of grammar mercy! You only need to memorize one set of endings. For -er verbs, it feels very natural. You are essentially saying "to eat-would" or "to drink-would."

1. 1Forming the Conditional is a simple three-step process. Follow these steps for any regular -er verb:
2. 2Start with the full infinitive (e.g., beber).
3. 3Identify the subject (who is doing the action).
4. 4Add the corresponding ending to the end of the infinitive.
5. 5Here are the endings you need to know:
6. 6Eu: -ia (beberia)
7. 7Você/Ele/Ela: -ia (beberia)
8. 8Tu: -ias (beberias)
9. 9Nós: -íamos (beberíamos)
10. 10Vós: -íeis (beberíeis)
11. 11Vocês/Eles/Elas: -iam (beberiam)
12. 12Notice that eu and ele/ela use the same ending. This is very common in Portuguese. Context will help people know who you mean. Also, look at the nós form. It always has an accent on the first í. This is non-negotiable! Think of that accent as a little flag. It signals that you are talking about "us." Without it, the word just looks sad and incorrect.

You will use the Conditional in many real-world scenarios. First, use it for polite requests. Instead of saying "I want coffee," say "I would like coffee." It sounds much smoother. In a restaurant, you might say: Eu comeria a sopa, por favor. Second, use it for hypothetical situations. These are "what if" moments. For example: "If I had money, I would travel." In Portuguese: Eu viajaria se tivesse dinheiro. Third, use it for the "future in the past." This sounds complicated but it is simple. It is when you talk about something that was going to happen. For example: "He said he would eat later." Ele disse que comeria mais tarde. Finally, use it to express doubt or uncertainty. If you are not sure about something, the Conditional softens your statement. It shows you are making a guess rather than stating a hard fact.

Do not use the Conditional for things that are definitely happening. If you are eating right now, use the Present tense. If you definitely will eat tomorrow, use the Future tense. The Conditional is for the "maybe" and the "would." Also, do not use it for past habits. If you used to eat chocolate every day, use the Imperfeito. Some people confuse these because they both use -ia endings. However, the Conditional keeps the whole verb (comeria). The Imperfeito drops the ending (comia). If you use the Conditional for a past habit, you will sound like you are dreaming about the past. It might confuse your friends. Also, avoid using it in the "if" part of a sentence. You say "If I had" (Subjunctive), "I would eat" (Conditional). Never use the Conditional twice in that structure. It is a one-per-sentence kind of deal usually.

The most common mistake is the "nós" accent. Many people write beberiamos without the accent. It must be beberíamos. It is the law of the grammar jungle! Another mistake is dropping the -er. You might be tempted to say comia when you mean comeria. Remember: comia means "I used to eat." Comeria means "I would eat." That extra er in the middle is vital. It is the bridge to the "would" meaning. Don't burn that bridge! Some people also forget that eu and você share the same form. If it is not clear who you are talking about, add the pronoun. Say Eu beberia instead of just beberia. This prevents awkward stares at the dinner table. Lastly, watch out for the few irregular verbs. While most -er verbs are regular, a few like fazer or dizer change their stems. Don't apply this rule to them or you will sound a bit like a toddler.

You must distinguish the Conditional from the Imperfeito. They look like twins but they have different jobs. The Imperfeito (comia) is for things you did repeatedly in the past. It is like a nostalgic movie. The Conditional (comeria) is for things that depend on a condition. It is like a "choose your own adventure" book. In casual Brazilian Portuguese, people often use the Imperfeito instead of the Conditional. They might say Eu comia when they mean Eu comeria. This is very common in the streets. However, in exams or formal writing, you must use the Conditional. Think of the Conditional as your tuxedo. You wear it when you want to look your best. The Imperfeito is your comfortable jeans. You can wear it almost anywhere, but it is not always the "correct" choice for formal events.