B1 Portuguese GrammarSubjunctive II (Konjunktiv II)
Master Portuguese conditional mood for expressing hypothetical situations, wishes, and polite requests. Learn to form the condicional (futuro do pretérito), understand se-clauses, and express politeness in Portuguese.
1Forming the Conditional
Portuguese conditional (futuro do pretérito/condicional) is formed by adding endings to the infinitive: -ia, -ias, -ia, -íamos, -iam. This is similar to future but with different endings. Irregular stems match future tense irregulars.
Conditional Conjugation
| Person | Falar | Comer | Partir |
|---|---|---|---|
| eu | falaria | comeria | partiria |
| tu | falarias | comerias | partirias |
| ele/ela | falaria | comeria | partiria |
| nós | falaríamos | comeríamos | partiríamos |
| eles | falariam | comeriam | partiriam |
Examples
Eu gostaria de um café.
I would like a coffee.
polite request
Você poderia me ajudar?
Could you help me?
polite question
Seria bom.
It would be good.
hypothetical
Nós gostaríamos de ir.
We would like to go.
polite wish
2Conditional Sentences (Se-Clauses)
Portuguese se-clauses use imperfect subjunctive (se + imperfeito do subjuntivo) + conditional. For past unreal: se + pluperfect subjunctive + conditional perfect. In Brazilian Portuguese, imperfect indicative often replaces subjunctive colloquially.
Conditional Patterns
| Type | Se-Clause | Main Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Real | se + present | present/future |
| Unreal present | se + impf subjunctive | conditional |
| Unreal past | se + plupf subjunctive | conditional perfect |
Examples
Se eu fosse rico, viajaria.
If I were rich, I would travel.
impf subjunctive + conditional
Se eu soubesse, teria ajudado.
If I had known, I would have helped.
plupf subj + cond perfect
Se ela viesse, ficaríamos felizes.
If she came, we would be happy.
unreal present
O que você faria se ganhasse?
What would you do if you won?
hypothetical question
3Conditional Perfect
The conditional perfect expresses what would have happened. Form it with conditional of ter + past participle. Use it for past hypotheticals, regrets, and unfulfilled possibilities. It pairs with pluperfect subjunctive in se-clauses.
Conditional Perfect Formation
| Subject | Formation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| eu | teria + participle | teria falado |
| tu | terias + participle | terias feito |
| ele | teria + participle | teria visto |
| nós | teríamos + participle | teríamos ido |
Examples
Eu teria gostado de te ver.
I would have liked to see you.
unfulfilled wish
Ela teria vindo se pudesse.
She would have come if she could.
conditional perfect
Deveríamos ter saído mais cedo.
We should have left earlier.
dever in conditional
Ele nunca teria feito isso.
He would never have done that.
negative conditional
4Polite Expressions and Wishes
The conditional is essential for politeness in Portuguese. Use it with querer, poder, preferir for courteous requests. 'Quem me dera' or 'tomara' express strong wishes. Brazilian and European Portuguese have slightly different usage.
Polite Forms
| Direct | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|
| Eu quero... | Eu gostaria... | I would like... |
| Você pode...? | Você poderia...? | Could you...? |
| Você deve... | Você deveria... | You should... |
| Me dá... | Poderia me dar...? | Could you give me...? |
Examples
Poderia repetir, por favor?
Could you repeat, please?
polite request
Gostaria de reservar uma mesa.
I would like to book a table.
polite wish
Você deveria ligar para sua mãe.
You should call your mother.
polite advice
Quem me dera poder ir!
If only I could go!
strong wish