The conditional with бы

A2 — Глаголы

The бы system: past tense + бы for wishes, polite requests and unreal conditions with если бы

I can express wishes, polite requests and unreal conditions with the бы system.

Examples

Я бы с удовольствием остался, но последняя электричка через час. — I would gladly stay, but the last commuter train is in an hour.
Если бы не пробки, мы бы уже были на даче. — If it weren't for the traffic jams, we would already be at the dacha.

VerbsA2

The conditional with бы

The бы system: past tense + бы for wishes, polite requests and unreal conditions with если бы

Learning Goal

I can express wishes, polite requests and unreal conditions with the бы system.

Exam Skills:ТРКИ ТБУ

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Я бы с удовольствием остался, но последняя электричка через час.

I would gladly stay, but the last commuter train is in an hour.

Если бы не пробки, мы бы уже были на даче.

If it weren't for the traffic jams, we would already be at the dacha.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

English needs a whole kit for this: "would", "could", "if I had known, I would have come". Russian gets by with one particle. The formula is past tense + бы, and it covers wishes, polite requests, advice and unreal conditions.

What you are doing	Russian	English
a wish	Я бы выпил чаю.	I'd have some tea.
a polite request	Вы не могли бы помочь?	Could you help?
advice	Ты бы отдохнул.	You should get some rest.
an unreal condition	Если бы я знал, я бы пришёл.	If I'd known, I would have come. / If I knew, I would come.

The verb is in the past form whatever time you mean, and it agrees in gender and number like any past tense: я бы пришёл (a man), я бы пришла (a woman), мы бы пришли.

One form, any time

English separates "If I knew" from "If I had known". Russian has just Если бы я знал, and context decides whether you mean now or then. Если бы у меня была дача на Волге, я бы жил там всё лето is a daydream about the present; Если бы ты позвонил вчера, мы бы успели на поезд is a regret about the past.

Where бы goes

Бы is light and flexible: Я бы пришёл and Я пришёл бы are both fine. In an unreal если-clause it usually sits right after если: если бы. In an unreal condition both halves normally carry their own бы: Если бы я знал, я бы пришёл.

Where English speakers slip

Building "would" from the future: я буду бы does not exist. Use the past: я бы пришёл.
Leaving бы out of the if-clause: Если я знал, я бы пришёл is wrong for an unreal condition. Say Если бы я знал.
Using бы for a real condition. "If it rains, we'll stay home" is real and needs no бы: Если будет дождь, мы останемся дома.

Apply this grammar in A2 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Future/present + бы: *я буду бы → past + бы: я бы пришёл
если without бы in unreal: *Если я знал, я бы... → Если бы я знал

Common Error Patterns

бы with non-past forms

Always past + бы: я бы пришёл

бы dropped in unreal conditions

если бы я знал, я бы пришёл — both clauses

Я бы с удовольствием остался, но последняя электричка через час.

I would gladly stay, but the last commuter train is in an hour.

Polite wish with бы + the famous электричка.

Если бы не пробки, мы бы уже были на даче.

If it weren't for the traffic jams, we would already be at the dacha.

если бы не + noun: the compact unreal condition.

The check for this topic is still being prepared

Ask Sofi

Ready-made hints are free

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A2 course exercises

A2 Course

← Back to topics

Frequently asked questions

When do you use The conditional with бы?: English needs a whole kit for this: "would", "could", "if I had known, I would have come". Russian gets by with one particle. The formula is past tense + бы , and it covers wishes, polite requests, advice and unreal conditions.
How do you form The conditional with бы?: The verb is in the past form whatever time you mean, and it agrees in gender and number like any past tense: я бы пришёл (a man), я бы пришла (a woman), мы бы пришли . English separates "If I knew" from "If I had known". Russian has just Если бы я знал , and context decides whether you mean now or then. Если бы у меня была дача на Волге, я бы жил там всё лето is a daydream about the present; Если бы ты позвонил вчера, мы бы успели на поезд is a regret about the past. Бы is light and flexible: Я бы пришёл and Я пришёл бы are both fine. In an unreal если -clause it usually sits right after если : если бы .
What are common mistakes with The conditional with бы?: Future/present + бы: *я буду бы → past + бы: я бы пришёл если without бы in unreal: *Если я знал, я бы... → Если бы я знал

What you are doing

Russian

English

a wish

Я бы выпил чаю.

I'd have some tea.

a polite request

Вы не могли бы помочь?

Could you help?

advice

Ты бы отдохнул.

You should get some rest.

an unreal condition

Если бы я знал, я бы пришёл.

If I'd known, I would have come. / If I knew, I would come.

Frequently asked questions

When do you use The conditional with бы?

English needs a whole kit for this: "would", "could", "if I had known, I would have come". Russian gets by with one particle. The formula is past tense + бы , and it covers wishes, polite requests, advice and unreal conditions.

How do you form The conditional with бы?

The verb is in the past form whatever time you mean, and it agrees in gender and number like any past tense: я бы пришёл (a man), я бы пришла (a woman), мы бы пришли . English separates "If I knew" from "If I had known". Russian has just Если бы я знал , and context decides whether you mean now or then. Если бы у меня была дача на Волге, я бы жил там всё лето is a daydream about the present; Если бы ты позвонил вчера, мы бы успели на поезд is a regret about the past. Бы is light and flexible: Я бы пришёл and Я пришёл бы are both fine. In an unreal если -clause it usually sits right after если : если бы .

What are common mistakes with The conditional with бы?

Future/present + бы: *я буду бы → past + бы: я бы пришёл если without бы in unreal: *Если я знал, я бы... → Если бы я знал