Italian Conditional Tense: How to Express Wishes, Advice, and Hypotheticals

Written By Olga Sylvia

Learn how to use the Italian conditional tense to express wishes, give advice, and talk about hypotheticals. A complete guide with examples and tips.

Learning a new language opens up a whole new world of expression—but some grammatical structures allow you to express yourself more richly and more precisely than others. In Italian, the conditional tense (il condizionale) is one of those game-changing tools. It gives you the ability to talk about what could be, what should be, and what you wish were true—essential skills for real-life conversation and meaningful dialogue.

Whether you're planning a trip to Italy, writing an email to a pen pal, or deepening your fluency, mastering the Italian conditional will help you sound more natural, polite, and expressive. Italians use it constantly—not just in fantasy or fiction, but in everyday conversations. “I would go,” “I could help,” “Should we call her?”—these are all examples of conditional thinking.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what the conditional tense is, when to use it, how to conjugate it, and most importantly—how to make it work in real-world Italian.

1. What Is the Conditional Tense in Italian?

The conditional tense (il condizionale) expresses:

  • What would happen (hypotheticals)

  • What should happen (advice or obligation)

  • What could happen (possibility or capability)

  • Politeness (requests, suggestions)

Examples:

  • Vorrei un caffè. – I would like a coffee.

  • Andremmo al mare se facesse bel tempo. – We would go to the beach if the weather were nice.

  • Dovresti studiare di più. – You should study more.

2. When Do Italians Use the Conditional?

A. Expressing Desires or Preferences

Use the conditional to express what you’d like, want, or prefer—especially in a polite tone.

  • Mi piacerebbe visitare Roma. – I would like to visit Rome.

  • Vorremmo cenare alle otto. – We would like to have dinner at eight.

B. Giving Advice or Making Suggestions

The conditional is softer than the imperative—it gives the listener space to decide.

  • Dovresti parlare con lui. – You should talk to him.

  • Potresti chiamarla domani. – You could call her tomorrow.

C. Making Polite Requests

It’s common to use the conditional to be more courteous:

  • Potrei avere un bicchiere d’acqua? – Could I have a glass of water?

  • Mi diresti che ore sono? – Would you tell me what time it is?

D. Talking About Hypothetical or Imaginary Situations

Often introduced with “se” (if), these express things that are not real—but possible.

  • Se fossi ricco, viaggerei di più. – If I were rich, I would travel more.

  • Comprerebbero una casa in campagna. – They would buy a house in the countryside.

E. Expressing Regret or Disappointment (with Past Conditional)

  • Avrei voluto aiutarti. – I would have liked to help you.

  • Saremmo venuti, ma eravamo malati. – We would have come, but we were sick.

3. How to Form the Conditional in Italian

There are two main forms:

  • Present Conditional (Condizionale Presente)

  • Past Conditional (Condizionale Passato)

A. Present Conditional

To form the present conditional:

  1. Start with the infinitive form of the verb.

  2. For -are verbs, change the "a" to "e"

  3. Add the appropriate endings.

Endings:

SubjectEndingio-eitu-estilui/lei-ebbenoi-emmovoi-esteloro-ebbero

Examples:

  • parlare → parlerei, parleresti, parlerebbe...

  • credere → crederei, crederesti, crederebbe...

  • dormire → dormirei, dormiresti, dormirebbe...

Irregular Verbs (Just Like Future Tense!)

Some common verbs have irregular roots:

  • avere → avrei

  • essere → sarei

  • andare → andrei

  • fare → farei

  • potere → potrei

  • volere → vorrei

  • dovere → dovrei

B. Past Conditional

This expresses things you would have done, but didn’t.

Structure:

  • Condizionale Presente of avere or essere + Past Participle

Examples:

  • Avrei mangiato. – I would have eaten.

  • Sarei arrivato in tempo. – I would have arrived on time.

Use essere with verbs of motion, reflexives, and some intransitives (just like in passato prossimo).

4. Real-World Examples and Common Phrases

Travel:

  • Mi piacerebbe prenotare una stanza. – I’d like to book a room.

  • Vorrei sapere il prezzo. – I’d like to know the price.

Food & Restaurants:

  • Cosa vorreste ordinare? – What would you like to order?

  • Potrei avere il menù? – Could I have the menu?

Politeness:

  • Ti dispiacerebbe aiutarmi? – Would you mind helping me?

  • Avrei bisogno di un’informazione. – I’d need some information.

Advice:

  • Dovresti riposarti. – You should rest.

  • Potresti provare a parlare con lei. – You could try talking to her.

Hypotheticals:

  • Se avessi più tempo, leggerei più libri. – If I had more time, I’d read more books.

  • Se facesse caldo, andremmo al mare. – If it were warm, we’d go to the beach.

5. Learning Tips: How to Master the Conditional

A. Start with the Verbs You Use Most

Make a list of common verbs like essere, avere, volere, dovere, and potere. Practice these in the conditional until they’re second nature.

B. Practice with “Se” Clauses

Try writing conditional sentences starting with "se":

  • Se potessi... (If I could...)

  • Se avessi... (If I had...)

C. Read and Listen

Italian books, films, and songs often include the conditional. Pay attention and jot down examples.

D. Speak and Write

Challenge yourself to:

  • Use the conditional in conversations or journal entries

  • Write emails or dialogues using polite forms

FAQs: Italian Conditional Tense

Q: Is the conditional tense used often in spoken Italian?

A: Yes, very often—especially to express politeness, advice, and possibility.

Q: What’s the difference between future and conditional?

A: The future tense talks about what will happen. The conditional talks about what would happen—under certain conditions.

Q: Can I use the conditional in formal emails?

A: Absolutely. It’s especially useful for softening requests and sounding polite.

Q: What’s the best way to remember irregular conditional forms?

A: Learn them alongside their future forms—they share the same stems.

Q: How is the past conditional different from the imperfect subjunctive?

A: The past conditional expresses what would have happened. The imperfect subjunctive is used in the dependent clauseof a hypothetical sentence.

Want to Use the Conditional Like a Native?

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  • Real conversation skills

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🇮🇹 We offer classes online or in person in Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, and San Jose. Whether you're preparing for travel, exams, or real-life conversation—we can help you master the Italian conditional.

Sign up today and start saying what you would say—if only you knew how.

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Olga Sylvia
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