What does “would” mean?
- 1
modal verbused to talk about imagined situations
If I had money, I would buy a car.
- 2
modal verbused to ask or offer politely
Would you like some tea?
- 3
modal verbused for things that happened often in the past
As a child, I would play outside all day.
Would at a glance
- Part of speech
- modal verb
- CEFR level
- A1 (beginner)
- Pronunciation
- /wʊd/ · WUUD
How to use “would” correctly
Don’t use “would” in the “if” part of a sentence: “If I had time, I would go”, not “If I would have time”. The “l” is silent.
Common phrases with “would”
- would like
- would rather
- would you mind
“would” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- can modal verbA1to be able to do something, or to know how to do it
- could modal verbA1used as the past of “can” to talk about ability
- should modal verbA1used to give advice or say what is right
- may modal verbA2used to say that something is possible but not certain
- might modal verbA2used to say that something is possible, often less likely than with “may”
- must modal verbA2used to say that something is necessary or very important