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verb

would

/wˈʊd/

a modal verb used for hypotheticals, polite requests, past habits, and reported speech

Definitions

  1. 1

    Used to talk about an imagined or hypothetical situation (conditional)

    “If I had more time, I would travel the world.”

    If I had more time, I would travel the world.

  2. 2

    Used to make a polite request or offer

    “Would you mind closing the window for me, please?”

    Would you mind closing the window for me, please?

  3. 3

    Used to describe a repeated action or habit in the past

    “Every summer, we would visit our grandparents by the lake.”

    Every summer, we would visit our grandparents by the lake.

  4. 4

    Used as the past tense of 'will' in reported speech

    “She said that she would call me back later tonight.”

    She said that she would call me back later tonight.

Conjugation

Present/Future reference (conditional)

I I would go
you you would go
he/she/it he would go
we we would go
they they would go

Perfect (past hypothetical)

I I would have gone
you you would have gone
he/she/it he would have gone
we we would have gone
they they would have gone

Negative

I I would not go (wouldn't go)
you you would not go (wouldn't go)

Word forms

Usage
Modal auxiliary verb; has no infinitive, -ing, or participle forms and does not change for person or number.

Often contracted to 'd (e.g., 'I'd go'). Does not change form for different subjects, unlike regular verbs.