Should-Could-Would Diferencias

These are modal verbs that are used as auxiliaries in conjunction with another verb.

Modal refers to "mood". These three moods are ability, willingness, and obligation.

Ability to do an actionis expressed as can in the present, could in the past.
" Magda can [ability - present] speak four languages."
"Her great-grandmother could [ability - past] speak seven languages"
"I could [ability- past] never go swimming because my mother was afraid I would drown."

It may indicate a future action . . .
"Could {polite request referring to ability} you please bring me some limes when you goto the store?

Willingness to perform an action is expressed as will. The word will is used as an auxiliary to express the future tense of a verb, and would, (which is the past tense of will) makesthe following verb conditional. Would may also be used to express a habitual action in the past.

"They will [future] leave for China next week."
"I would [condition] go with them if I could[ability] afford the airfare."
"We would [past habit, custom]go to my grandmother's house for dinner every Friday night."
"Would you {polite request referring to willingness} you please bring me somelimes when you go to the store?

Obligation is expressed with should. It is the past form of "shall", which is synonymous with will, but used less often. Shall is more formal or archaic, and is usedmore in the UK than in the US.

Should sería "debería" o bien "tendría que" (como consejo o que pasaría algo grave si no sigues el aviso etc)

"I should clean the kitchen, but I don't feel likeit.[want to]"

Some of the other foreros have said some of this, but it is easier to understand a summary

• Note 1: Would tambien se puede usar en el pasado para el imperfecto. EjemploWhen I was a kid I often would go to church. = Cuando era niño iba a la iglesia a menudo.
En este caso, would = used to.



• Note 2: esos son auxiliares, por ejemplo "could" : podría...