The conditional tense, el potencial simple, is conjugated the same as the future tense, except for the different endings. Take a look at our four sample verbs, hablar (to speak), vender (to sell), vivir (to live), and decir (to say):

The conditional is used to express the Spanish equivalent of “would + verb” (except in the sense of something that “used to be” done). It's a tense of potentialities, of something that would happen on the condition of something else taking place:

¿Qué harían?

What would you do?

Quisiera un helado.

I would like an ice cream.

Conditional tense is also used to express guessing or conjecture, except that it takes place in the past. Compare the following:

¿Dónde estuvo tu hermana? Estuvo en casa. Estaría en casa.

Where was your sister? She was at home. She was probably at home.