Condicional: O Fut

This tense acts like a bridge. It connects the past to a potential future. It is surprisingly simple to build. Unlike other tenses, you do not throw away the ending. You keep the whole verb intact. Then, you just glue a new ending onto the back. It feels like building with Lego blocks. Most verbs follow the exact same pattern. This makes it a favorite for many learners. It is reliable and predictable. It helps you express uncertainty without sounding confused.

1. 1Building this tense is a three-step process.
2. 2Start with the full infinitive of the verb.
3. 3For example, use falar, comer, or abrir.
4. 4Add the specific conditional endings to the end.
5. 5Here are the endings for all regular verbs:
6. 6Eu: -ia (falar + ia = falaria)
7. 7Você/Ele/Ela: -ia (falar + ia = falaria)
8. 8Nós: -íamos (falar + íamos = falaríamos)
9. 9Vocês/Eles/Elas: -iam (falar + iam = falariam)
10. 10Wait, there are only three irregular verbs! Yes, you read that right. Only three. They are dizer (to say), fazer (to do/make), and trazer (to bring). They shorten their stems before adding the endings.
11. 11Dizer becomes diria.
12. 12Fazer becomes faria.
13. 13Trazer becomes traria.
14. 14Think of these three as the toddlers of the grammar world. They are a bit rebellious but easy to manage once you know them.

You will use this tense in four main scenarios. First, use it for polite requests. Instead of saying "I want coffee," say Eu gostaria de um café. It sounds much better in a restaurant. Second, use it for hypothetical situations. "If I had money, I would travel." In Portuguese: Eu viajaria se tivesse dinheiro.

Third, use it for "future in the past." This happens when you report what someone said. "He said he would arrive late." Here, you use Ele disse que chegaria atrasado. Finally, use it to express doubt or speculation about the past. "It would be about 10 PM when they left." That is Seriam dez horas quando eles saíram. It adds a layer of mystery to your stories.

Do not use this tense for things that are certain. If you are sure about the future, use the Futuro do Presente. Avoid using it directly after the word se (if). This is a very common trap. You cannot say se eu teria. You must use the imperfect subjunctive there.

Also, in very casual Brazilian Portuguese, people often skip this tense. They use the Pretérito Imperfeito instead. For example, they might say Eu queria instead of Eu gostaria. It is like wearing jeans to a nice dinner. It is okay, but the conditional is your tuxedo. Use the conditional when you want to impress or be extra clear.

Many people forget to keep the r from the infinitive. They say falaia instead of falaria. Always remember: the r is your best friend here. Another mistake is the accent on the nós form. It is falaríamos, not falariamos. Without the accent, the rhythm of the sentence breaks.

Don't let the irregulars trip you up. Some people try to say fazeria. It sounds logical, but it is wrong. Stick to faria. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are tired. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. If you see an irregular, slow down and check your stem.

How does this differ from the Imperfeito? The Imperfeito (falava) is for habitual past actions. The Condicional (falaria) is for potential actions. If you say Eu comia, you mean "I used to eat." If you say Eu comeria, you mean "I would eat."

It also differs from the Futuro do Presente (falarei). The future is a promise. The conditional is a possibility. Use the future for your calendar. Use the conditional for your bucket list. One is about facts; the other is about imagination.