estropear Conditional Conjugation
estropear — to damage or break
Conditional estropearía, estropearías expresses hypotheticals ('would break'): 'Si tuviera dinero, no estropearía el coche' (If I had money, I wouldn't break the car).
estropear Conditional Forms
When to Use the Conditional
Use the conditional of 'estropear' for hypothetical situations ('would break'), polite requests, or to talk about something that would happen in the past from a future perspective. For instance, 'Yo estropearía la receta si no tuviera cuidado' (I would ruin the recipe if I weren't careful).
Notes on estropear in the Conditional
Estropear is regular in the conditional tense. The stem is the full infinitive 'estropear', and the standard conditional endings are added.
Example Sentences
Yo estropearía el jarrón si lo tirara.
I would break the vase if I dropped it.
yo
¿Tú estropearías el motor si lo usaras mal?
Would you damage the engine if you used it badly?
tú
Él dijo que estropearía el plan si no le dejaban participar.
He said he would ruin the plan if they didn't let him participate.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros estropearíamos la sorpresa si llegamos tarde.
We would spoil the surprise if we arrived late.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the conditional for a simple future action.
Correct: Use the future tense 'estropeará' for 'will break', not the conditional 'estropearía' ('would break').
Why: The conditional expresses hypothetical or uncertain outcomes, not definite future events.
Mistake: Confusing conditional with imperfect subjunctive.
Correct: In 'if' clauses for hypothetical situations, the conditional often follows the imperfect subjunctive: 'Si estropeara... estropearía'.
Why: These tenses work together to express hypothetical cause and effect.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: estropeo
Present estropeo, estropeas, etc. describes current actions or habits: 'Yo estropeo las plantas si no las riego' (I ruin the plants if I don't water them).
Preterite
yo: estropeé
The preterite of estropear is regular: estropeé, estropeaste, estropeó, estropeamos, estropeasteis, estropearon.
Imperfect
yo: estropeaba
Imperfect estropeaba, estropeabas describes ongoing or habitual past actions: 'Antes estropeaba mis juguetes' (I used to break my toys).
Future
yo: estropearé
Future estropearé, estropearás predicts or assumes something will break: 'El vaso se estropeará' (The glass will break).
Present Subjunctive
yo: estropee
Use present subjunctive estropee, estropeen etc. for wishes, doubts, and emotions: 'Espero que no estropees nada' (I hope you don't break anything).
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: estropeara
Use imperfect subjunctive estropeara/estropéara for past hypotheticals or wishes, like 'Si estropeara...' (If I were to break...)
Affirmative Imperative
yo: estropea
Use imperative estropea, estropee, etc. for direct commands, like '¡Estropea el vaso!' (Break the glass!).
Negative Imperative
yo: no estropees
Negative commands use 'no' plus present subjunctive: 'no estropees' (don't break).