In this lesson, we will learn how to use the simple conditional tense to express desires in Spanish, focusing on three key verbs: “me gustaría” (I would like), “querría” (I would want), and “desearía” (I would wish). These verbs are particularly useful when discussing future hopes or expressing wishes in a polite and thoughtful manner.
Objectives:
- Understand the usage of the simple conditional tense in Spanish to express desires.
- Learn to use key verbs such as “me gustaría,” “querría,” and “desearía” to articulate future hopes and wishes politely.
- Enhance proficiency in conveying desires and wishes in Spanish with the simple conditional tense.
Vocabulary and Conjugation Table
Before we start, here’s a quick review of the simple conditional conjugation for the verbs we will use:
| Verb | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Gustar (to like) | me gustaría, te gustaría, le gustaría, nos gustaría, os gustaría, les gustaría |
| Querer (to want) | querría, querrías, querría, querríamos, querríais, querrían |
| Desear (to wish) | desearía, desearías, desearía, desearíamos, desearíais, desearían |
Grammar Points: Using the Simple Conditional to Express Desires in Spanish
- “Me gustaría“ is often used to express a polite desire or preference, focusing on the likability of the action.
- “Querría“ is a slightly more formal way to express what one wants, often used in polite requests or in hypothetical situations.
- “Desearía“ is used for expressing stronger wishes or desires, often about things that might be less likely to happen.
Example Sentences with Questions and Answers to Express Desires in Spanish
| Conversation Between Penélope and Lucía | Translation |
|---|---|
| Penélope: Lucía, ¿qué proyectos te gustaría realizar este año? | Penélope: Lucía, what projects would you like to undertake this year? |
| Lucía: Me gustaría empezar un negocio propio. | Lucía: I would like to start my own business. |
| Penélope: ¿A qué país querrías viajar? | Penélope: To which country would you want to travel? |
| Lucía: Querría viajar a Japón para ver los cerezos en flor. | Lucía: I would want to travel to Japan to see the cherry blossoms. |
| Penélope: ¿Qué curso desearías estudiar? | Penélope: What course would you wish to study? |
| Lucía: Desearía estudiar gastronomía porque me encanta cocinar. | Lucía: I would wish to study culinary arts because I love cooking. |
| Penélope: ¿Qué habilidad te gustaría aprender? | Penélope: What skill would you like to learn? |
| Lucía: Me gustaría aprender a tocar el piano. | Lucía: I would like to learn to play the piano. |
| Penélope: ¿Qué cambio querrías en tu vida profesional? | Penélope: What change would you want in your professional life? |
| Lucía: Querría tener la oportunidad de liderar más proyectos. | Lucía: I would want to have the opportunity to lead more projects. |
| Penélope: ¿Qué desearías para tu futuro? | Penélope: What would you wish for your future? |
| Lucía: Desearía tener una familia grande y viajar mucho con ellos. | Lucía: I would wish to have a large family and travel a lot with them. |
Role-Playing Assignment: Discussing Wishes and Desires with AmigaGPT
Objective: Practice using the conditional tense to express personal wishes and desires while engaging in a meaningful conversation with AmigaGPT, who is curious to learn more about your plans and dreams.
Scenario: You are having a coffee chat with AmigaGPT, a friend who is very interested in learning about your aspirations for the future. AmigaGPT is keen to know what you wish to achieve, explore, or change in your life.
Task Instructions:
- Introduction: Start the conversation by greeting AmigaGPT and briefly mentioning something you are currently doing or involved in.
- Express Your Desires: Use the conditional tense to share at least three different desires or wishes you have. These could relate to your career, hobbies, travel plans, or personal development.
- Answer Questions: AmigaGPT will ask you questions about each of your stated desires to delve deeper into why you chose them, how you plan to achieve them, and what you think the outcomes will be.
Useful Phrases:
- “Me gustaría…” (I would like…)
- “Querría…” (I would want…)
- “Desearía…” (I would wish…)
Example Dialogue:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Hola, AmigaGPT. Últimamente he estado pensando mucho sobre mis planes futuros. | Hi, AmigaGPT. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my future plans. |
| ¡Qué interesante! ¿Qué te gustaría hacer? | How interesting! What would you like to do? |
| Me gustaría aprender a tocar el violín. | I would like to learn to play the violin. |
| Eso suena fantástico. ¿Por qué escogiste el violín? | That sounds fantastic. Why did you choose the violin? |
| Siempre me ha cautivado su sonido, y creo que sería un desafío emocionante. | I have always been captivated by its sound, and I think it would be an exciting challenge. |
| ¿Qué más te gustaría hacer? | What else would you like to do? |
| Querría viajar a Nueva Zelanda algún día. | I would want to travel to New Zealand one day. |
| Nueva Zelanda es hermosa. ¿Qué lugares te gustaría visitar allí? | New Zealand is beautiful. What places would you like to visit there? |
| Me encantaría hacer senderismo por sus famosos parques nacionales. | I would love to hike through its famous national parks. |
Outcome:
- Practice forming sentences in the conditional tense to express your desires.
- Enhance your conversational skills by responding to follow-up questions, thus making the dialogue more dynamic and realistic.
Conclusion:
Wrap up the conversation by thanking AmigaGPT for the discussion and expressing enthusiasm for making some of these desires a reality. This role-play will help you get comfortable discussing your dreams and plans in Spanish, using the conditional tense to articulate your aspirations naturally and fluently.