serían
seh-REE-ahn
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Si ganaran la lotería, serían millonarios.
B1If they won the lottery, they would be millionaires.
Los problemas serían menores con más comunicación.
B2The problems would be smaller with more communication.
¿A qué hora serían las noticias? ¿A las nueve?
B1What time would the news be? At nine?
Ustedes serían los encargados de la seguridad, ¿verdad?
A2You (all) would be in charge of security, right?
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Would' Tense (Conditional)
The conditional tense, where 'serían' lives, is used to talk about possibilities, wishes, or actions that depend on a condition (often introduced by 'si' or 'if'). It translates directly to 'would be'.
Guessing in the Past
You can use 'serían' to express conjecture about something that happened in the past, often translating to 'must have been' or 'probably was'. Example: 'Serían las tres cuando llegaron' (It must have been three when they arrived).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Ser vs. Estar in the Conditional
Mistake: "Using 'estarían' instead of 'serían' for permanent characteristics. Example: *Estarían doctores.*"
Correction: 'Serían' is for identity, profession, or essential qualities. Use 'Serían doctores' (They would be doctors). 'Estarían' is only for location or temporary feelings.
⭐ Usage Tips
Polite Requests
While 'serían' is plural, the conditional tense overall is key for politeness. Saying 'Would you be so kind...' often uses the conditional form.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: serían
Question 1 of 1
Which English sentence correctly uses the meaning of 'serían'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'serían' a regular or irregular form?
The verb 'ser' is highly irregular in most tenses. However, the Conditional tense (where 'serían' comes from) is actually formed regularly by taking the entire infinitive 'ser' and adding the standard conditional ending '-ían'.
How is 'serían' different from 'fueron'?
'Serían' (would be) talks about a possibility or hypothetical situation. 'Fueron' (they were) is the past tense (preterite) and talks about a definite action or state completed in the past.