A storybook illustration showing two small, friendly cartoon figures floating together inside a large, soft white cloud. The cloud is hovering slightly above a bright green field, symbolizing a hypothetical state or location.

estarían

es-ta-RÍ-an

VerbB1irregular ar

they would be?Hypothetical location or state,you (plural formal) would be?Polite inquiry about a state or location

Also:they might be?Expressing probability in the past

Quick Reference

infinitiveestar

gerundestando

past Participleestado

📝 In Action

Si tuvieran tiempo, estarían de vacaciones ahora mismo.

If they had time, they would be on vacation right now.

Ustedes estarían más cómodos en la sala, ¿verdad?

You (formal plural) would be more comfortable in the living room, right?

Dijeron que estarían listos para las ocho.

They said they would be ready by eight.

Word Connections

Synonyms

se encontrarían (they would find themselves)
se hallarían (they would be (located))

Common Collocations

estarían contentos – they would be happy (a feeling)
estarían en casa – they would be at home (a location)

💡 Grammar Points

The 'Would Be' Tense

This form, 'estarían,' is the conditional tense, which means 'would be.' It is used to talk about things that are hypothetical or uncertain: what someone 'would do' if something else happened.

Location and State

'Estar' always describes temporary conditions, feelings, or location. So, 'estarían' means they would be temporarily happy, or they would be located somewhere. It never describes who they are permanently.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Ser and Estar in the Conditional

Mistake: "Using 'serían' (from 'ser') when talking about location or temporary feelings (e.g., *Serían en la cocina*)."

Correction: Use 'estarían' for location and temporary state: 'Estarían en la cocina' (They would be in the kitchen).

⭐ Usage Tips

Expressing Probability

You can use 'estarían' to guess about a past action. For example, '¿Dónde están? Estarían en la tienda' means 'Where are they? They must have been/might be at the store.'

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedestá

yoestoy

túestás

ellos/ellas/ustedesestán

nosotrosestamos

vosotrosestáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedestaba

yoestaba

túestabas

ellos/ellas/ustedesestaban

nosotrosestábamos

vosotrosestabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedestuvo

yoestuve

túestuviste

ellos/ellas/ustedesestuvieron

nosotrosestuvimos

vosotrosestuvisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedesté

yoesté

túestés

ellos/ellas/ustedesestén

nosotrosestemos

vosotrosestéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedestuviera/estuviese

yoestuviera/estuviese

túestuvieras/estuvieses

ellos/ellas/ustedesestuvieran/estuviesen

nosotrosestuviéramos/estuviésemos

vosotrosestuvierais/estuvieseis

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: estarían

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'estarían' to express a hypothetical location?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

estar(to be (location/state)) - verb

estado(state, condition) - noun

estaría(I would be / he/she/it would be) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'serían' and 'estarían'?

'Serían' (from *ser*) means 'they would be' permanently or essentially (e.g., 'They would be doctors'). 'Estarían' (from *estar*) means 'they would be' in a temporary state, feeling, or location (e.g., 'They would be tired' or 'They would be at the park').

Can I use 'estarían' to talk about myself or one person?

No. 'Estarían' is only used when talking about groups of people ('they' or formal 'you plural'). For 'I would be,' use 'estaría.' For 'he/she/it would be,' also use 'estaría.'