nickdisipio

Hi, I am very confused about something... I have studied spanish for a while now and I dont understand how to say "should have" as in "I should have brought the keys" The native speakers say "yo hubiera traido las llaves" but it doesnt make sense to me, because "hubiera" means "I would have" along with "habria" whats the difference between "hubiera" and "habria" and how do you know how to seperate the two? For example "I wouldn't have been late but there was traffic" how would you tranlate that..

exxcéntrica

Hi Nick:

The correct translation for this sentence would be:

Debería haber traído las llaves.

Debería: should


No hubiera llegado tarde pero había mucho tráfico.

__________________

“Aunque la conducta del marido sea censurable, aunque este se dé a otros amores, la mujer virtuosa debe reverenciarlo como a un dios. Durante la infancia, una mujer debe depender de su padre, al casarse de su marido, si este muere, de sus hijos y si no los tuviera, de su soberano. Una mujer nunca debe gobernarse a sí misma."

Leyes de Manu (Libro Sagrado de la India

lauracipolla

hi, nickdisipio

the two verb forms you ask about are REALLY a problem for many Spanish speakers... so don't feel bad. the difference may be explained with a conditional sentence of the "impossible" type (something that cannot be changed because it already took place), and the different position each form takes:

e.g.:
If I had known you were not home, I would have brought the keys" (to use your words)
= Si hubiera sabido que no estabas en casa (the condition), habría traído las llaves (the action taken in consequence)

But I repeat, it's a common mistake for many Spanish speakers to use "hubiera" (subjuntivo) both in the condition-clause and in the consequence-clause...

hope I helped!
laura (a fan of Grammar!!!)

mem286

I think the common mistake in spanish is to use the conditional in both sentences, ex. Si podría lo haría, where it should be "Si pudiera o pudiese lo haría". Unfortunatly, it's very common and accepted.

__________________



=================


====-mem286-====

vicente

Thanks for asking that question Nick!

Ah, bueno, dos, disculpe, tres de mis profesoras aquí en el mismo hilo! Estupendo!
Gracias damas, por las lecciones. También tengo problemas con hubiera y habría.

__________________
vicente

lauracipolla

I agree, Mem. Those you mention are very typical! They're the "probable"-type conditional sentences (subjunctive in the condition [= past form in English] + conditional in the consequence-clause).

I should have mentioned before that the "impossible" conditional sentences take perfect forms for subjunctive + conditional (hubiera ido/venido, etc. + habría ido/venido, etc)

In any case, I agree it's a disgrace so many people make that mistake but worse that it's SOOOOOOOO accepted. :-(

exxcéntrica

I also wanted to mention to "our student" vicente ( ) and nick, that in spain , in the north, it is actually a habit to use habría for everything:

Me imagino que yo lo habría sabido igual.

Creo que yo no habría ido.

Mirad esta anécdota simpática:

__________________

“Aunque la conducta del marido sea censurable, aunque este se dé a otros amores, la mujer virtuosa debe reverenciarlo como a un dios. Durante la infancia, una mujer debe depender de su padre, al casarse de su marido, si este muere, de sus hijos y si no los tuviera, de su soberano. Una mujer nunca debe gobernarse a sí misma."

Leyes de Manu (Libro Sagrado de la India

nickdisipio

thanks so much, your answers are very helpfull, I have been using "hubiera" to say "should have" for a while just from asking native speakers. For example, I asked my mexican friend how to say "i should have brought the key's" and he told me, "yo hubiera traido las llaves". Is it possible he just thought I asked him "I WOULD have brought the keys" ?? I have been using "hubiera" for a year now for "should have" like when I play domino's with girlfriends family which are Puerto Rican's, I would say "tu no hubieras puesto" to my domino partner for "you shouldnt have put that" what was I actually saying to him?

exxcéntrica

I don't know if your friend's English is very proficient But he should have said:

Debería haber traído mis llaves.

Hubiera tríado las llaves: I would have brought the keys.

Probably he meant:

si solo hubiera traído las llaves!!!

If only I had brought the keys...!!


The thing with friends: they think if they correct you all the time you will be annoyed or sad. So they don't !!

You actually used would , not should:

hubieras puesto: would have put

Tú no hubieras puesto esto: you wouldn't have put this!

I am sure your partner understood all right, but really, the sentence was quite wrong.

You must use

should = debería

You should put that: Deberías poner esto

You should have put that: deberías haber puesto esto

If you are referring to a action in the past, you must use the compound form. (like in your example)

__________________

“Aunque la conducta del marido sea censurable, aunque este se dé a otros amores, la mujer virtuosa debe reverenciarlo como a un dios. Durante la infancia, una mujer debe depender de su padre, al casarse de su marido, si este muere, de sus hijos y si no los tuviera, de su soberano. Una mujer nunca debe gobernarse a sí misma."

Leyes de Manu (Libro Sagrado de la India

nickdisipio

Thanks for clearing that up!!!