Would

Pronunciation

 * Homophones: wood
 * Homophones: wood
 * Homophones: wood
 * Homophones: wood
 * Homophones: wood
 * Homophones: wood
 * Homophones: wood

Verb

 * 1) As a past-tense form of will:.
 * 2)  Wished, desired (something).
 * 3)  Wanted to ( + bare infinitive).
 * 4) * 1852, James Murdock, trans. Johann Lorenz Mosheim, Institutes of Ecclesiastical History, II.7.iii:
 * The Greeks, especially those who would be thought adepts in mystic theology, ran after fantastic allegories [...].
 * 1) Used to; was or were habitually accustomed to ( + bare infinitive); indicating an action in the past that happened repeatedly or commonly.
 * 2) * 2009, "Soundtrack of my life", The Guardian, 15 Mar 09:
 * When we were kids we would sit by the radio with a tape recorder on a Sunday, listening out for the chart songs we wanted to have.
 * 1) Used with bare infinitive to form the "anterior future", indicating a futurity relative to a past time.
 * 2) * 1867, Anthony Trollope, Last Chronicle of Barset, ch. 28:
 * That her Lily should have been won and not worn, had been, and would be, a trouble to her for ever.
 * 1)  Used with ellipsis of the infinitive verb, or postponement to a relative clause, in various senses.
 * 2) * 1724, Daniel Defoe, Roxana, Penguin p. 107:
 * He sat as one astonish'd, a good-while, looking at me, without speaking a Word, till I came quite up to him, kneel'd on one Knee to him, and almost whether he would or no, kiss'd his Hand [...].
 * 1) * 1846, "A New Sentimental Journey", Blackwoods Magazine, vol. LX, no. 372:
 * If I could fly, I would away to those realms of light and warmth – far, far away in the southern clime [...].
 * 1) Was determined to; loosely, could naturally have been expected to (given the tendencies of someone's character etc.).
 * 2) * 1835, Charles Dickens, Sketches by Boz, V:
 * Then he took to breeding silk-worms, which he would bring in two or three times a day, in little paper boxes, to show the old lady [...].
 * 1) * 2009, "Is the era of free news over?", The Observer, 10 May 09:
 * The free access model, the media magnate said last week, was "malfunctioning". Well he would, wouldn't he?
 * 1) As a modal verb.
 * 2) Used to give a conditional or potential "softening" to the present; might, might wish.
 * 3) * 2008, Mark Cocker, "Country Diary", The Guardian, 3 Nov 08:
 * It's a piece of old folklore for which I would love to find hard proof.
 * 1) Used as the auxiliary of the simple conditional mood (with a bare infinitive); indicating an action or state that is conditional on another.
 * 2) * 2010, The Guardian, 26 Feb 2010:
 * Warnock admitted it would be the ideal scenario if he received a Carling Cup winners' medal as well as an England call-up [...].
 * 1)  Might wish ( + verb in past subjunctive); often used (with or without that:) in the sense of "if only".
 * 2) * 1859, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress,
 * I presently wished, would that I had been in their clothes! would that I had been born Peter! would that I had been born John!
 * 1) * 1868, Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, ch. 23:
 * I would she had retained her original haughtiness of disposition, or that I had a larger share of Front-de-Bœuf's thrice-tempered hardness of heart!
 * 1) Used to impart a sense of hesitancy or uncertainty to the present; might be inclined to. Now sometimes colloquially with ironic effect.
 * 2) * 2009, Nick Snow, The Rocket's Trail, p. 112:
 * “Those trials are being run by the American army so surely you must have access to the documents?” “Well, yeah, you’d think.”
 * 1) * 2010, Terry Pratchett, "My case for a euthanasia tribunal", The Guardian, 2 Feb 2010:
 * Departing on schedule with the help of a friendly doctor was quite usual. Does that still apply? It would seem so.
 * 1) Used interrogatively to express a polite request; are (you) willing to...?
 * Would you pass the salt, please?
 * 1)  Might desire; wish (something).
 * 2) * 1608, William Shakespeare, King Lear, I.4:
 * What dost thou professe? What would’st thou with vs?

Synonyms

 * (indicating an action in the past that happened repeatedly or commonly): used to
 * (used to express a polite request): be so good as to, kindly, please

Translations
Note: many languages express some meanings of would using a mood or tense rather than by a particular word.


 * Catalan: Use the conditional tense
 * We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Estariem més calents si no hagueres obert la finestra!
 * Dutch: zou/zouden (past tense of zullen)
 * Het zou hier warmer zijn, als je het venster niet had geopend/niet zou hebben geopend
 * Esperanto: Use the conditional tense
 * We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Ni estus pli varmaj se vi ne malfermus la fenestron!
 * French: Use the conditional tense
 * We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Nous aurions plus chaud si vous n'aviez pas ouvert la fenêtre !
 * German: Use the subjunctive mood or "würde + infinitive
 * We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Uns wäre wärmer, wenn du das Fenster nicht geöffnet hättest!
 * Hungarian: Use the conditional tense, -na/-ne/-ná/-né
 * It would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Melegebb volna, ha nem nyitottad volna ki az ablakot!


 * Italian: Use the conditional tense
 * We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Staremmo più al caldo se tu non avessi aperto la finestra!
 * Polish: Use the conditional tense (-by-)
 * We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Byłoby nam cieplej, gdybyś nie otworzył okna!
 * Portuguese: use the conditional tense
 * We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Estaríamos mais quentes se você não tivesse aberto a janela.
 * Russian: Use the conditional tense (бы)
 * We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Было бы теплее, если бы ты не открыл окно!
 * Spanish: Use the conditional tense
 * We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - ¡Estaríamos más calientes si no hubieras abierto la ventana!
 * Swedish:
 * We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Vi skulle vara varmare om du inte hade öppnat fönstret!


 * Dutch: zou/zouden (past tense of zullen)
 * We zaten op de bank ons afvragend of de bus deze keer te laat zou zijn.
 * Esperanto: Use the future tense
 * We sat on the bench, wondering if the bus would be late this time. - Ni sidis sur la benko nin demandante, ĉu la buso malfruos ĉi tiun fojon.
 * French: Use the conditional tense
 * We sat on the bench, wondering if the bus would be late this time. - Nous étions assis sur le banc, nous demandant si l'autobus serait en retard cette fois.
 * German: Use the conjunctive mood
 * We sat on the bench, wondering if the bus would be late this time. - Wir saßen auf der Bank und fragten uns, ob der Bus diesmal zu spät käme.
 * Hungarian: Use the future or present tense with -e
 * We sat on the bench, wondering if the bus would be late this time. - A padon ültünk, és azon gondolkoztunk, hogy ezúttal elkésik-e a busz.


 * Italian: Use the conditional perfect tense
 * We sat on the bench, wondering if the bus would be late this time. - Ci siamo seduti sulla panchina, domandandoci se il bus sarebbe stato in ritardo questa volta.
 * Russian: Use the future tense with (ли)
 * We sat on the bench, wondering if the bus would be late this time. - Мы сидели на скамейке и гадали, опоздает ли автобус.
 * Spanish: Use the conditional tense
 * We sat on the bench, wondering if the bus would be late this time. - Nos sentamos en el banco, preguntándonos si el autobús llegaría tarde esta vez
 * Swedish:
 * We sat on the bench, wondering if the bus would be late this time. - Vi satt på bänken och undrade om bussen skulle bli sen den här gången.


 * Dutch: zou/zouden (past tense of zullen)
 * De ober zei dat hij meteen terug zou keren
 * Esperanto: Use the future tense
 * The waiter said he would be right back. - La kelnero diris, ke li tuj revenos.
 * French: Use the conditional tense
 * The waiter said he would be right back. - Le garçon a dit qu'il reviendrait tout de suite.
 * German: Use either the Subjunctive I or II form of the verb, or würde + infinitive
 * The waiter said he would be right back. - Der Kellner sagte, er sei sofort wieder da.
 * Hungarian: Use the future or present tense
 * The waiter said he would be right back. - A pincér azt mondta, hogy mindjárt visszajön.


 * Italian: Use the conditional perfect tense
 * The waiter said he would be right back. - Il cameriere ha detto che sarebbe ritornato subito.
 * Russian: Use the future tense
 * The waiter said he would be right back. - Официант сказал, что скоро вернется.
 * Spanish: Use the conditional tense
 * The waiter said he would be right back. - El camarero ha dicho que volvería enseguida.
 * Swedish:
 * The waiter said he would be right back. - Kyparen sa att han strax skulle komma tillbaka.


 * Dutch: Use the past tense
 * 's winters zaten we bij het gat in het bevroren meer en visten we urenlang.
 * Esperanto: Use the past tense in the repetitive aspect
 * In the winters, we would sit by the hole on the frozen lake and fish for hours. - En la vintroj, ni sidadis apud la truo sur la frostiĝinta lago kaj fiŝkaptadis dum horoj.
 * French: Use the imperfect tense
 * In the winters, we would sit by the hole on the frozen lake and fish for hours. - En hiver, nous étions habituellement assis à côté du trou sur le lac gelé et nous pêchions pendant des heures.
 * German: Use the preterite tense and immer ''for emphasis on the repetitive nature
 * In the winters, we would sit by the hole on the frozen lake and fish for hours. - Im Winter saßen wir immer um ein Loch auf den gefrorenen See und angelten stundenlang.
 * Hungarian: Use the past tense
 * In the winters, we would sit by the hole on the frozen lake and fish for hours. - Minden télen órákat ültünk a jégen a lyuk mellett, és halásztunk.


 * Italian: Use the imperfect tense
 * In the winters, we would sit by the hole on the frozen lake and fish for hours. - D'inverno ci sedevamo presso al buco sul lago ghiacciato e pescavamo per ore.
 * Russian: Use the past tense with imperfective aspect
 * In the winters, we would sit by the hole on the frozen lake and fish for hours. - Зимой мы сидели у лунки на замерзшем озере и часами рыбачили.
 * Spanish: Use the imperfect tense
 * In the winters, we would sit by the hole on the frozen lake and fish for hours. - En invierno, nos sentábamos cerca del agujero que hay en el lago congelado y pescábamos durante horas
 * Swedish:
 * In the winters, we would sit by the hole on the frozen lake and fish for hours. - På vintrarna brukade vi sitta vid vaken i den frusna sjön och fiska i flera timmar.


 * Dutch: zou/zouden (past tense of zullen), gelieve
 * Zou u a.u.b. de TV kunnen uitzetten, Gelieve de TV uit te schakelen, a.u.b.
 * Esperanto:
 * Would you please turn off the TV? - Bonvolu malŝalti la televidon, mi petas?
 * Finnish: Use the conditional
 * Would you please turn off the TV? &mdash; Sulkisitko television?
 * French: vouloir, veuillez (imperative)
 * Would you please turn off the TV? - Pourrais-tu éteindre la télé, s'il te plaît? ; Pourriez-vous / Veuillez éteindre la télévision, s'il vous plaît?
 * German: Use the conditional paraphrase employing würden
 * Would you please turn off the TV? - Würden Sie bitte den Fernseher ausschalten?


 * Hungarian: Use the conditional
 * Would you please turn off the TV? - Kérlek, lekapcsolnád a TV-t?
 * Italian:
 * Would you please turn off the TV? - Vuoi spegnere la tivù, per favore? (infomal); Vuole spegnere la televisione, per favore?
 * Russian: Use the conditional parafrase with negative or imperative with пожалуйста
 * Would you please turn off the TV? - Телевизор не выключите?, Выключите, пожалуйста, телевизор.
 * Spanish:
 * Would you please turn off the TV? - ¿Podría apagar la televisión, por favor? (infomal); Me haría el favor de apagar la televisión? (very formal)

Related terms

 * will - present tense of would
 * wouldn't - negative of would
 * wouldst - archaic second person singular form of would
 * would like
 * would've

Statistics


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