The Ukrainian conditional is built from the past-tense verb plus the invariable particle би (after a consonant) or б (after a vowel): я хотів би, вона поїхала б. Used for polite wishes, hypotheses, and advice.
I can form the conditional with the past-tense verb plus би/б to make polite requests, state hypotheses, and give advice.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Я хотіла б замовити каву й шматочок медовика, будь ласка.
I would like to order a coffee and a slice of honey cake, please.
Якби була гарна погода, ми поїхали б на Говерлу в неділю.
If the weather were nice, we would go to Hoverla on Sunday.
На твоєму місці я б зателефонував мамі й попросив поради.
If I were you, I'd call your mother and ask for advice.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Умовний спосіб в українській — це дієслово минулого часу + частка би/б. Частка незмінна й рухома: після приголосного — би, після голосного — б.
Apply this grammar in A2 course exercises
Practice ExercisesOmitting the particle би/б, using a present-tense verb instead of the past form, or conjugating би (Czech-style bych/bys).
Conditional = PAST-tense verb + invariable particle би (after a consonant) / б (after a vowel). The particle never changes for person; gender/number sit on the past-tense verb.
Я хотіла б замовити каву й шматочок медовика, будь ласка.
I would like to order a coffee and a slice of honey cake, please.
хотіла б: past-form хотіла (feminine) + б after the vowel а. A polite order.
Якби була гарна погода, ми поїхали б на Говерлу в неділю.
If the weather were nice, we would go to Hoverla on Sunday.
якби already contains the particle (як + би); the main clause repeats the same conditional particle as б after the vowel (поїхали б).
На твоєму місці я б зателефонував мамі й попросив поради.
If I were you, I'd call your mother and ask for advice.
«На твоєму місці» + я б... is the fixed way to give advice; б after the vowel я.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A2 course exercises