The conditional can soften a request or express a wish.

The idea

Use ¿Podría usted…? for a courteous request to one person and me gustaría + infinitive for a wish. The form podría can also mean he or she could, depending on context.

Examples

  • ¿Podría usted repetir el número?Could you repeat the number?
  • Me gustaría pedir una sopa.I would like to order a soup.
  • ¿Podríamos sentarnos aquí?Could we sit here?
  • ¿Podrías hablar más despacio?Could you speak more slowly?
  • Me gustaría cambiar la reserva.I would like to change the reservation.
  • ¿Podría abrir la ventana?Could you open the window?

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Spanish voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Politeness depends on relationship and situation as well as verb form; a conditional is not the only courteous choice.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the courteous form for usted. ¿___ usted repetir el número? (Podría / Podríamos)

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    Podría

    Podría with usted makes a courteous request to one person.

  2. Choose the speaker’s wish. ___ pedir una sopa. (Me gustaría / Te gustaría)

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    Me gustaría

    Me gustaría expresses the speaker’s wish.

  3. Choose the form for we. ¿___ sentarnos aquí? (Podríamos / Podría usted)

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    Podríamos

    Podríamos refers to a possibility involving us.

Use it today

Ask someone politely to repeat a number and say what you would like to order.