Introduzione
This article discusses the use of the italian present conditional ('condizionale presente') verb tense.
I begin by outlining the common usage of the condizionale presente, before explaining some of the unusual features that students need to remember, then finally describing both regular and irregular verb conjugation.
To conclude, I have added a simple dialogue that uses the condizionale presente in a common situation.
The article is aimed at 2nd or 3rd year italian language students.
Usi del condizionale presente
Generali di utilizzo
In general, the condizionale presente is used to express conditions or possibilities. In English, this is normally expressed with would or should.
"I would accept her offer, if..."
That's a nice starting point, but let's take it a bit further.
We can use the condizionale presente to:
(1.) Express would when referring to actions or events that may never be fulfilled, in rhetorical questions, or where there is an implied condition.
Andrei al cinema volentieri, mo non ho soldi I would gladly go to the cinems, but I have no money
Lo comprerei, ma non ho soldi I would buy it, but I don't have the money
Sarebbe una buona idea, ma... It would be a good idea, but...
Quando arrivate a casa, potreste telefonarci When you arrive home, you could call us
Ma chi direbbe una cosa simile? But who would say such a thing?
(2.) Express desire, requests or intention
Vorrei un caffe' I would like a coffee
Verrei, ma non posso I would come, but I cannot
Vorrei una bistecca ben cotta I would like a well-done steak
(3.) Express a personal opinion
Direi che e' una buona idea I think (I would say) it is a good idea
(4.) Express what would happen if a certain condition were met; used in conjunction with an "if" phrase
Se avessi i soldi, farei il giro del mondo If I had the money, I would go around the world
Se piovesse, rimarrei a casa, o andrei in macchina
If it rained/were to rain, I would stay at home, or I'd take the car
(5.) Express an indirect quotation
Maria ha detto che verrebbe domani Mary said that she would be coming tomorrow
Luigi si chiedeva quando l'avrebbe rivista Luigi was wondering when he would see her again
(6.) Add kindness or politeness to a request; similarly, it can be used to express a preference, advice or a suggestion (often using dovere, potere and volere)
Senti, mi faresti questo piccollo favore? Hey, would you do me this little favor?
Dovresti scriverle domani You should (ought to) write to her tomorrow
I verbi speciale
Dovere translates as the English should.
It can be used to ask or give advice, to say what one must do or is supposed to do, and to express probability.
Dovresti pulire la casa You should clean the house
Essere can be used to express irritation or scepticism
E che cosa sarebbe questo foglio? And what would this sheet be?
Potere can be used to express a polite request, a definite possibility, or something that could or is likely to happen.
Potremmo andare al ristorante We could go to the restaurant
Non c''e nebbia, potreste essere a Roma in due ore There is no fog, you could be in Rome in two hours
Sapere can be used to express a polite request, an ability or inability to do something.
Penso che Erica saprebbe tradurlo I think Erica would know how to translate it
Volere expresses wishes and desires.
Noi vorremmo parlare bene l'italiano We would like to speak Italian well
Meccanismi
Aspetta! As usual, there are a few kooky things that students should be aware of...
Verbo terminazioni
The condizionale presente is closely associated with the future tense.
The conditional is formed by adding regular endings to the same stem as for the future tense. This is important - it means that the verb endings in the condizionale presente are the same for both regular and irregular verbs; it is only the root stem that changes.
Singular (1st person) -ei
(2nd person) -esti
(3rd person) -ebbe
Plural (1st person) -emmo
(2nd person) -este
(3rd person) -ebbero
These are discussed in more detail below, for both regular and irregular verb forms.
"Used to..."
English often uses would to express as "used to..."; in this case Italian uses the imperfect.
Quando ero piccollo, giocavo con i miei gatti When I was little, I would play with my cats
"Would like to..."
English uses would to express a willingness to do something; in the same situation, Italian uses volere plus the verb infinitive.
Gli ho chiesto di sparecchiare la tavola, ma non volevano fare niente
I asked them to clear the table, but they would not do anything
I pronomi
All direct and indirect object pronouns (including ne) precede the condizionale presente.
Il verbo negativo
The negative is formed by putting non before the verb.
Non capiresti nulla You wouldn't understand a thing
Non vorremmo partire We wouldn't want to leave
Non tradurrei cosi' I wouldn't translate (it) for you
Il verbo "piacere"
The verb piacere retains its usual features in the condizionale presente. That is, we conjugate piacere and retain the 'action' verb in the infinitive.
Mi piacerebbe andare in Italia
I would like to go to Italy
(literally: To me, it would be pleasing to go to Italy)I verbi modali
Note the different meanings of potere, dovere and volere in the presente and the condizionale presente.
PresentePotere Lo posso fare (I can do it)Dovere Lo devo fare (I have to do it)Volere Lo voglio fare (I want to do it)
Condizionale presentePotere Lo potrei fare (I could do it)Dovere Lo dovrei fare (I should to do it)Volere Lo vorrei fare (I would like to do it)
Coniugazione regolare
Let's look at regular verb conjugations in the condizionale presente.
Regular verbs in the condizionale presente all apply the same verb endings to their respective root stems.
The root stems are easily obtained.
- simple remove the final -e from the infinitive
- for verbs ending in -are, the infinitive a becomes an e
Parlare becomes parler-
Vendere becomes vender-
Dormire becomes dormir-
Preferire becomes preferir-
-are → -er-
-ere → -er-
-ire → -ir-
- add the regular verb ending
(io) -ei
(tu) -esti
(Lui) -ebbe
(noi) -emmo
(voi) -este
(loro) -ebbero
Per esempio...
Parlare Vendere Dormire Preferire
parlerei venderei dormirei preferirei
parleresti venderesti dormiresti preferiresti
parlerebbe venderebbe dormirebbe preferirebbe
parleremmo venderemmo dormiremmo preferiremmo
parlereste vendereste dormireste preferireste
parlerebbero venderebbero dormirebbero preferirebbero
But of course...there are exceptions!
Dare Fare Stare
darei farei starei
daresti faresti staresti
darebbe farebbe starebbe
daremmo faremmo staremmo
dareste fareste stareste
darebbero farebbero starebbero
- verbs ending in -care and -gare add an -h- before the ending
Cercare Pagare
cercherei pagherei
cercheresti pagheresti
cercherebbe pagherebbe
cercheremmo pagheremmo
cerchereste paghereste
cercherebbero pagherebbero
All verbs ending in -urre have the following pattern.
Tradurre
-urrei tradurrei
-urresti tradurresti
-urrebbe tradurrebbe
-urremmo tradurremmo
-urreste tradurreste
-urrebbero tradurrebbero
L'interprete tradurrebbe tutto per te The interpreter would translate everything for you
Coniugazione irregolare
Irregular forms of the condizionale presente use the same verb endings as regular verbs, but the root is irregular. In fact, the root is the same as for the future tense.
Note - verbs with an irregular root in the future tense have the same irregular root in the conditional.
The same verbs that are irregular in the future are also irregular in the condizionale presente.
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As is the case of the future tense, most (but not all!) irregular verbs in the condizionale presente are formed by dropping the first and last vowels from the infinitive ending. The regular verb endings are then added.
avere → avr- → avreiavrestiavrebbeavremmoavresteavrebbero
Other common irregular verbs that follow this pattern are shown below. The list is not complete by any means, but it'll give you the ideas enough to get you moving.
avere avr- (avrei, avresti, avrebbe, avremmo, avreste, avrebbero)
cadere cadr- (cadrei, cadresti, cadrebbe, cadremmo, cadreste, cadrebbero)
dovere dovr- (dovrei, dovresti, dovrebbe, dovremmo, dovreste, dovrebbero)
potere potr- (potrei, potresti, potrebbe, potreste, potrebbero)
sapere sapr- (saprei, sapresti, saprebbe, sapreste, saprebbero)
vedere vedr- (vedrei, vedresti, vedrebbe, vedreste, vedrebbero)
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With the irregular verbs dare, dire, fare, stare, porre (and verbs made up with it like comporre) and trarre (and verbs made up with it like attrarre), follow the regular verb pattern.
Drop the final vowel from the infinitive and add the usual endings.
dare dar- (darei, daresti, darebbe, daremmo, dareste, darebbero)
dire dir- (direi, diresti, direbbe, diremmo, direste, direbbero)
fare far- (farei, faresti, farebbe, faremmo, fareste, farebbero)
stare star- (starei, staresti, starebbe, stareste, starebbero)
porre porr- (porrei, porresti, porrebbe, porreste, porrebbero)
trarre trarr- (trarrei, trarresti, trarrebbe, trarreste, trarrebbero)
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As is the case with the future tense, there are only a few verbs that are completely irregular in the condizionale presente.
bere berr- (berrei, berresti, berrebbe, berremmo, berreste, berrebbero)
essere sar- (sarei, saresti, sarebbe, saremmo, sareste, sarebbero)
rimanere rimarr- (rimarrei, rimarresti, rimarrebbe, rimarremmo, rimarreste, rimarrebbero)
venire verr- (verrei, verresti, verrebbe, verremmo, verreste, verrebbero)
volere vorr- (vorrei, vorresti, vorrebbe, vorremmo, vorreste, vorrebbero)
Un dialogo illustrativi
[Antonio] Pronto. Giorgio. Ti piacerebbe uscrire stasera?
[Georgio] Mi piacerebbe, ma non posso.
[Antonio] Perche'? Devi studiare? Io non mi preoccuperei cosi' tanto!
[Georgio] Tu non ti preoccuperesti mai, ma io si'!
[Antonio] Va bene. Saresti libero domani?
[Georgio] Domani si', ma preferei andare a prendere un caffe' al bar. Va bene?
[Antonio] Va bene.
[Antonio] Hello. Giorgio. Would you like to go out tonight?
[Georgio] I would like to, but I can't.
[Antonio] Why? Do you have to study? I wouldn't worry so much!
[Georgio] You would never worry, but I would.
[Antonio] Fine. Would you be free tomorrow?
[Georgio] Tomorrow yes, but I would prefer to go and get a coffee at the coffee bar. OK?
[Antonio] OK.
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