sería
/seh-REE-ah/
would be
Visualizing the conditional: 'If things were different, this is how happy I would be.'
sería(Verb)
would be
?Expressing a hypothetical or conditional situation
it would be
?When talking about a general situation
📝 In Action
Si yo fuera rico, sería muy feliz.
A2If I were rich, I would be very happy.
Sería increíble viajar por el mundo.
B1It would be incredible to travel the world.
Con más tiempo, mi proyecto sería perfecto.
B1With more time, my project would be perfect.
💡 Grammar Points
Talking About 'What Ifs'
Use 'sería' to talk about things that aren't real right now, but could be. It's the 'would be' part of an 'if... then...' sentence. For example: 'If I had a dog (si tuviera un perro), he would be my best friend (él sería mi mejor amigo).'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'sería' and 'era'
Mistake: "Cuando era niño, yo sería feliz."
Correction: Cuando era niño, yo era feliz. Use 'era' for describing how things were in the past. Use 'sería' for how things 'would be' in a hypothetical situation.
⭐ Usage Tips
Dream and Imagine
Think of 'sería' as your go-to word for dreaming out loud. What would your ideal vacation be like? 'Sería en una playa con agua cristalina.' (It would be on a beach with crystal-clear water.)
Using 'sería' to soften a suggestion: 'It would be a good idea to take this path.'
sería(Verb)
it would be
?Making a polite suggestion or giving an opinion
it might be
?Softening a statement
📝 In Action
Sería una buena idea llamar antes de ir.
B1It would be a good idea to call before going.
Quizás sería mejor tomar un taxi.
B1Maybe it would be better to take a taxi.
¿No sería más fácil si lo hacemos juntos?
B2Wouldn't it be easier if we do it together?
⭐ Usage Tips
Sound More Polite
Instead of saying 'Es una buena idea' (It is a good idea), which can sound a bit direct, try 'Sería una buena idea.' It softens your suggestion and makes it sound more like a friendly piece of advice.
Expressing a conjecture about the past: 'It must have been that way.'
sería(Verb)
it must have been
?Making a guess or conjecture about a past event
it was probably
?Expressing probability in the past
📝 In Action
¿Qué hora era cuando te llamó? - No sé, serían las tres de la mañana.
B2What time was it when he called you? - I don't know, it must have been three in the morning.
En aquel entonces, yo sería muy joven y no recuerdo bien.
B2Back then, I must have been very young and I don't remember well.
¿Quién dejó esto aquí? - Sería el cartero.
B2Who left this here? - It was probably the mailman.
💡 Grammar Points
Making Guesses About the Past
This is a cool trick in Spanish. You can use the conditional tense, which usually talks about the future or hypotheticals, to make a guess about something that already happened. It shows you're not 100% sure.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'era' When Guessing
Mistake: "Eran las tres de la mañana."
Correction: Serían las tres de la mañana. 'Eran las tres' states it as a fact. 'Serían las tres' tells the listener you are making a guess.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sería
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'sería' to make a guess about something in the past?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'sería' and 'fuera'?
'Sería' means 'would be' and is used for the result of a hypothetical situation ('I would be happy'). 'Fuera' is a special form used after 'if' ('If I were rich...'). They often work together in the same sentence: 'Si yo fuera tú, no lo haría' (If I were you, I wouldn't do it).
I see 'sería' for 'I would be' and 'he/she would be'. How do I say 'you would be'?
Great question! 'Sería' works for 'yo' (I), 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), and 'usted' (the formal 'you'). For the informal 'you' (tú), you add an 's': 'tú serías'. For 'we', it's 'seríamos', and for 'they', it's 'serían'.