UNIT TWENTY-THREE The present conditional Use of the present conditional 1 The present conditional expresses an action which depends on a condition, as in this English example: ‘If I  could , I  would go  at once.’ In this example, the condition is expressed with ‘if’ (i.e. ‘on condition that’). The present con- ditional is often used even when the condition is not actually mentioned, as in: ‘I’m sure she  would love  a night out.’ Basically, the use of the Italian present conditional is similar to the English: The present conditional in Italian can express wishes or intentions, opinions or advice, requests in polite form, doubts and conjectures: 2 The present conditional is formed in the same way as the future, but with di ff erent endings: The forms of the present conditional Prenderei un ca ff è. Potreste andare a piedi. Mi daresti una mano? Sapresti fare questo lavoro? Questa potrebbe essere la soluzione. I’d like a co ff ee. You could go on foot. Would/could you give me a hand? Would you know how to do that job? This could be the solution. Vorrei  ballare tutta la sera. Mi  daresti  un passaggio? Fareste  meglio restare a casa. I would like to dance all night. Would you give me a lift? Yo u ’d do better to stay at home.