B2 · Conditions
Second conditional: se tivesse
« If I were » extended to every verb — and the main clause has two right answers.
At a glance
- Remember
- The se clause in the subjunctive, the main clause in the Condicional.
- When
If and would — Here the condition decides the form, not the position on the clock.
- Form
- se (eu) pudesseif I could
- Signal words
- se tivesse
- se fosse
- se pudesse
- iria
- seria
- Trap
- Wrong:Se tivesse tempo, fosse contigo.Right:Se tivesse tempo, ia contigo.
Your turn
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The form
How the forms are built
Each row gives the meaning first, then the form in Portuguese. The colours show what changes from one form to the next.
stem (regular) stem (irregular) tense marker person ending
| if I could | se (eu) pudesse |
| if you could | se (tu) pudesses |
| if he / she could, if you could | se (ele / ela / você) pudesse |
| if we could | se (nós) pudéssemos |
| if you could, plural and formal | se (vós) pudésseis |
| if they could, if you could (plural) | se (eles / elas / vocês) pudessem |
| I would stay | (eu) ficaria |
| you would stay | (tu) ficarias |
| he / she would stay, you would stay | (ele / ela / você) ficaria |
| we would stay | (nós) ficaríamos |
| you would stay, plural and formal | (vós) ficaríeis |
| they would stay, you would stay (plural) | (eles / elas / vocês) ficariam |
| I would stay (imperfect) | (eu) ficava |
| you would stay (imperfect) | (tu) ficavas |
| he / she would stay, you would stay (imperfect) | (ele / ela / você) ficava |
| we would stay (imperfect) | (nós) ficávamos |
| you would stay, plural and formal (imperfect) | (vós) ficáveis |
| they would stay, you would stay (plural; imperfect) | (eles / elas / vocês) ficavam |
| if I had time | se tivesse tempo |
| if it were possible | se fosse possível |
| I would go with you | iria contigo |
| I would go with you (spoken) | ia contigo |
| it would be better | seria melhor |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
The se clause takes the past subjunctive.
Se tivesse dinheiro, comprava a casa.If I had the money, I would buy the house.
The main clause takes the Condicional.
Se pudesse, ficaria mais uns dias.If I could, I would stay a few more days.
In speech the Imperfeito usually stands there.
Se soubesse, dizia-te.If I knew, I would tell you.
The Condicional alone also carries the unreality.
Seria melhor esperar.It would be better to wait.
Example sentences
Se fosse a ti, não dizia nada.If I were you, I would say nothing.
Se soubesse cozinhar, convidava-te.If I could cook, I would invite you.
Gostaria de poder ajudar mais.I would like to be able to help more.
Se não fosse a chuva, íamos à praia.If it were not for the rain, we would go to the beach.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The two halves must not carry the same form. Se tivesse tempo, fosse contigo puts the subjunctive twice and says nothing. The se clause names the condition, the main clause the consequence — and only the condition takes the subjunctive.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
Se tivesse tempo, ia contigo — « if I had the time, I would go with you ». The condition is not met, and both halves show it.
The se clause takes the past subjunctive (tivesse, fosse, pudesse). English has this too, in one verb only: « if I were you » is a past subjunctive and « if I was you » is the same thing worn down. Here every verb has the form, and it is obligatory.
The main clause has two right answers, which English does not. Formally it takes the Condicional (iria, faria); in speech it usually takes the Imperfeito (ia, fazia), and that is not carelessness but the ordinary thing. Se pudesse, ficava mais is heard more often than ficaria.
Without se it also works: gostaria de ir, seria melhor — the Condicional alone already carries the unreality, exactly as « would » does on its own.
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The verbs on this page, in every form: dizer · saber · ter · ficar · ir · comprar · poder · ajudar