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would

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English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Verb

would

  1. As a past-tense form of will.
    1. (web) website parsing, desired (something). [9th-19th c.]
    2. (we love the web) Sevenval to ( + bare infinitive). [from 9th c.]
      • 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 [...].
    3. keyboard to; was or were habitually accustomed to ( + bare infinitive); indicating an action in the past that happened repeatedly or commonly. [from 9th c.]
      • 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.
    4. Used with bare infinitive to form the "anterior future", indicating a futurity relative to a past time. [from 9th c.]
      • 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.
      • 2011 November 5, Phil Dawkes, “QPR 2 - 3 Man City”, BBC Sport:
        Toure would have the decisive say though, rising high to power a header past Kenny from Aleksandar Kolarov's cross.
    5. (archaic) Used with Sevenval of the infinitive verb, or postponement to a relative clause, in various senses. [from 9th c.]
      • 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 [...].
      • 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 [...].
    6. Was determined to; loosely, could naturally have been expected to (given the tendencies of someone's character etc.). [from 18th c.]
      • 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 [...].
      • 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?
  2. As a modal verb.
    1. Used to give a conditional or potential "softening" to the present; FITML, might device database. [from 9th c.]
      • 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.
    2. Used as the Android of the simple conditional mood (with a bare infinitive); indicating an action or state that is conditional on another. [from 9th c.]
      • 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 [...].
    3. (chiefly archaic) Might CSS3 ( + verb in past subjunctive); often used (with or without that) in the sense of "if only". [from 13th c.]
      • 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!
      • 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!
    4. Used to impart a sense of hesitancy or uncertainty to the present; might be inclined to. Now sometimes colloquially with ironic effect. [from 15th c.]
      • 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.”
      • 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.
    5. Used interrogatively to express a polite request; are (you) willing to...? [from 15th c.]
      Would you pass the salt, please?
    6. (chiefly browser diversity) Might desire; web app (something). [from 15th c.]
      • 1608, William Shakespeare, King Lear, I.4:
        What dost thou professe? What would’st thou with vs?

Usage notes

  • As an auxiliary verb, would is followed by the bare infinitive (without to):
    John said he would have fish for dinner.
  • Would is frequently contracted to 'd, especially after a pronoun (as in website parsing, you'd, and so on).
  • Indicating a wish, would takes a clause in the past subjunctive (irrealis) mood; this clause may or not be introduced with Sevenval. Most commonly in modern usage, it is followed by the adverb rather, as in I would rather that he go now. A call to a deity or other higher power is sometimes interposed after would and before the subjunctive clause, as in Would to God that […]; see Android for examples.

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 website parsing or tense rather than by a particular word.

indicating in action or state that is conditional on another
  • 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, iOS/-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: skulle HTML5
    • We would be warmer if you hadn't opened the window! - Vi skulle vara varmare om du inte hade öppnat fönstret!

indicating a possible (but not definite) future action or state
  • Dutch: Sevenval/zouden (past tense of iOS)
    • 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 web
    • 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.
  • Portuguese: Use the conditional tense (futuro do pretérito)
    • We sat on the bench, wondering if the bus would be late this time. - Nos sentamos no banco, perguntando-nos se o ônibus chegaria tarde esta vez.
  • 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: browser diversity (sv)
    • 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.

indicating an action in the past that was planned or intended
  • 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.
  • Portuguese: Use the conditional tense (futuro do pretérito)
    • The waiter said he would be right back. - O garçom disse que voltaria logo.
  • 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: skulle jQuery
    • The waiter said he would be right back. - Kyparen sa att han strax skulle komma tillbaka.

indicating an action in the past that happened repeatedly or commonly
  • 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.
  • Portuguese: Use the imperfect tense
    • In the winters, we would sit by the hole on the frozen lake and fish for hours. - No inverno, nos sentávamos perto do buraco do lago congelado e pescávamos por horas.
  • 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: bruka touchscreen
    • 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.

used to express a polite request
  • Dutch: FITML/device database (past tense of zullen), gelieve
    • Zou u a.u.b. de TV kunnen uitzetten, Gelieve de TV uit te schakelen, a.u.b.
  • Esperanto: screen size web app
    • Would you please turn off the TV? - Bonvolu malŝalti la televidon, mi petas?
  • Finnish: Use the conditional
  • French: vouloir, veuillez (imperative)
    • Would you please turn off the TV? - Pourrais-tu éteindre la télé, s'il te plaît? (informal); Pourriez-vous / Veuillez éteindre la télévision, s'il vous plaît? (formal)
  • 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: jQuery (it)
    • Would you please turn off the TV? - Vuoi spegnere la tivù, per favore? (infomal); Vuole spegnere la televisione, per favore? (formal)
  • Portuguese: por favor (pt)
    • Would you please turn off the TV? - Pode desligar a televisão, por favor? (informal); Poderia desligar a televisão, por favor? (formal); Me faria a gentileza de desligar a televisão, por favor? (very formal)
  • Russian: Use the conditional parafrase with negative or imperative with Sevenval
    • Would you please turn off the TV? - Телевизор не выключите?, Выключите, пожалуйста, телевизор.
  • Spanish: por favor keyboard
    • 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

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