Would 

Principalmente, usamos el verbo auxiliar modal would para uso condicional.

En inglés, hay cuatro condicionales: cero, primero, segundo y tercera condicional. Solamente las condicionales segunda y tercera requieren el uso de would, pero haremos un resumen de todas las condicionales, aun así.

Cero condicional: se usa para presentar hechos o situaciones reales en el presente

(If + presente simple + presente simple).

• If I light a match, it burns.
• If you boil water, it reaches 100 degrees Celsius.
• If you attack animals they get angry.

Primer condicional: se usa para presentar hechos o situaciones en el futuro

(If + presente + will + infinitivo).

• If you go to school, I’ll buy you a present.
• If you eat too many calories, you’ll get fat.
• If he comes early, we’ll be happy.

Segundo condicional (con would): Se usa para situaciones hipotéticas o imaginarias en el presente o el futuro

(If + pasado simple + would + infinitivo).

• If you lived closer to home, you’d be able to commute faster to work.  (‘d = forma de contracción de ‘would’).
• If only she knew about the living circumstances, she wouldn’t be living there today.
• If Harry took the daily commute to London at 5.00 am, he would arrive much earlier.

Tercer condicional (con would): se usa para circunstancias absolutamente hipotéticas e imaginarias en el futuro o pasado

(If + pasado perfecto + would + have + participio pasado).

• If we had lived in New York we would have met so many interesting people.
• If only I had been born in the first century, I would have lived through the Roman Empire.
• If I had won the lottery I would have given you at least half of my winnings. 

Lección #10: Would

Explicación

El uso principal del verbo auxiliar modal would debe utilizarse como condicional en inglés. Hay cuatro condicionales en inglés: cero, primera, segunda y tercera condicional. Echemos un vistazo:

• Condicional cero: se utiliza para presentar hechos o situaciones reales en el presente (if + presente simple + presente simple).

1. If I light a match, it burns.
2. If you boil water, it reaches 100 degrees Celsius.
3. If you attack animals, they get angry.

• Primera condicional: se utiliza para presentar hechos o situaciones reales que podrían ocurrir en el futuro (if + presente simple + will + Infinitivo).

1. If you do your homework, you will pass your exams.
2. If you eat too many calories, you’ll get fat.
3. If he comes early, we’ll be happy.

• Segunda condicional: utilizada para situaciones improbables o hipotéticas (if + pasado simple + would + Infinitivo).

1. If you lived closer to home, you’d be able to come home faster.
2. If only she knew about the living circumstances, she wouldn’t be living there today.
3. If Harry took the daily commute to London at five o’clock in the morning, he would arrive much earlier.

• Tercera condicional: utilizada para circunstancias hipotéticas o imaginarias en el futuro, presente o pasado (if + pasado perfecto + would + have + participio pasado).

1. If we had lived in New York, we would have met so many interesting people.
2. If only I had been born in the first century, I would have seen the Roman Empire.
3. If I had won the lottery, I would have given you half of my winnings.

Contexto

• Jennifer, what would you buy me if you won the lottery?
• That’s a tough question.¹ If I won the lottery, I would buy you all the smiles in the world.²
• Oh, come on! Be real! What would you actually buy me?
• Well, If I won the lottery then I would take you out for dinner.³
• You’re not the most generous person I know.
• What about you? If you suddenly went from rags to riches,⁴ what would you give me?
• I’d⁵ give you my love.
• Seriously? That’s it?
• If I hadn’t worked for my wealth, I wouldn’t have appreciated everything I have achieved.⁶
• That’s true. I agree with your philosophy in that regard, but It’d⁷ still be nice if you treated me⁸ with something at least.
• How about a Chalet?
• That’ll⁹ do just fine, thanks.
• You’re¹⁰welcome.

Análisis

1. Tough = ‘duro/difícil’. Tough problem. Tough question.
2. If I won the lottery I would buy you all the smiles in the world. La segunda condicional se está utilizando aquí. (If + pasado simple + would + Infinitivo). I.e., If you lived in the United States you would speak English perfectly.
3. If I won the lottery then I would take you out for dinner. La segunda condicional se utiliza aquí para describir una situación improbable o hipotética.
4. If you suddenly went from rags to riches. La expresión ‘rags to riches’ es una expresión común para referirse a alguien que va de ‘pobre a rico’.
5. I’d give you my love. I’d puede significar I had o I would. Las contracciones con would y had son las siguientes: I’d, you’d, he’d, she’d, it’d, we’d, you’d (plural), they’d.
6. If I hadn’t worked for my wealth, I wouldn’t have appreciated everything I have achieved. Este es un ejemplo de la tercera condicional en inglés, la usamos para situaciones completamente hipotéticas o imposibles. La regla es: if + had + participio pasado + would + have + participio pasado. I.e., If you had learnt Spanish when you were four, you would have spoken really well.
7. It’d still be nice. La contracción de I’d en este caso es it would.
8. But it’d still be nice if you treated me with something. Usamos el verbo treat para describir la acción de dar algo a alguien gratis. I.e., I’ll treat you this drink. My mom treated me to a new car.
9. That’ll do just fine. That’ll es la contracción de that will. Las formas del verbo auxiliar modal will son: I’ll, you’ll, he’ll, she’ll, it’ll, we’ll, you’ll (plural), they’ll.
10. You’re welcome. You’re es la contracción de you are. Las contracciones de be en primera persona son: I’m, you’re, he’s, she’s, it’s, we’re, you’re (plural), they’re.

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