🤝 Polite or imagined 🕰️ Past of will ⏳ Unreal past 🔁 Past habit 🤔 Probable or expected

would

∞ 1.0

To express polite requests, preferences or imagined actions

auxiliary
/wʊd/

: condicional (cortesía/hipótesis)

Would you like some coffee?

Examples

I would prefer tea.
If I had more time, I would travel the world.
Would you like some help with your homework?
She said she would call me when she arrived.
Would you like some help with your homework?
If I had more time, I would travel the world.
She said she would call me when she arrived.

Synonyms

could

vswould

∞ 1.0

To say something might happen, talk about past ability, or make a polite request

is used for polite requests, imagined actions, and conditional preferences

Idioms

as luck would have it

Informal

12 5.4

Happens by chance in a lucky, helpful way

face that would stop a clock

Offensive

9.9

A face so ugly that it shocks people

Phrasal Verbs

would have

∞ 2.3

To show that something could have happened in the past but did not

would not

∞ 1.0

To refuse to do something in the past

would not

651 1.0

To say in the past that something will not happen later

How Polite

may

∞ 1.0

would

∞ 1.0

could

∞ 1.0

can

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

would infinitive

Etymology

The word would comes from the old English wolde, from the verb will, meaning 'want' or 'wish'. That is why would is often used for polite requests or for imagined actions — it talks about what you 'wish' or prefer in a softer way.