PHRASES
| Habría sido muy interesante vivir durante los años de la cúspide del Imperio Romano. Conocer su sistema de gobierno y sus filósofos habría sido increíble. | It would be interesting to live during the years of the height of the Roman Empire. Getting to know their system of government and their philosophy would be incredible. |
| A mí me gustaría haber peleado con Pancho Villa durante la Revolución Mexicana para acosar aristócratas y recorrer el país a caballo. | I would’ve liked to have fought with Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution in order to go after aristocrats and cross the country by horse. |
| Me habría gustado viajar al año 1492 para presenciar el descubrimiento de América y corroborar los recuentos históricos al respecto. | I would have liked to travel in the year 1492 to witness the discovery of America and corroborate the historical documentation about it. |
| Sería una buena idea vivir a principios del siglo XX para intentar prevenir las guerras mundiales. | It would be a good idea to live at the beginning of the 20th century in order to prevent the world wars. |
| Quisiera haber vivido en tiempos de la Conquista de México para ayudar a los aztecas contra los españoles invasores. | I would like to have lived in the time of the Mexican conquest to help the Aztecs against the Spanish invaders. |
| Me habría gustado pelear en las guerras de independencia en toda América Latina. | I would’ve liked to have fought in the wars of independence in all of Latin America. |
| Creo que sería muy divertido conversar con Borges en Buenos Aires. | I think it would be very fun to have a conversation with Borges in Buenos Aires. |
| Me gustaría haber vivido la revolución bolchevique en Moscú. | I would’ve liked to have experienced the Bolshevik Revolution in Moscow. |
VOCABULARY
acosar: to harrass
amante: (m) lover
batalla: (f) battle
caballeros aztecas: (m) aztec knights
ceremonioso: (adj) serious, solemn
conquista: (f) conquest
coqueta: (f) flirt
cortesana: (f) court maid
guerra mundial: (f) world war
imperio romano: (m) roman empire
invasor: (m) invador
magnificencia: (f) greatness
peinado: (m) hair style
precolombino: (adj) pre-columbus, before Columbus’ arrival to America
prevenir: to alert
recuentos históricos: (m) historical accounts
sacerdote: (m) priest
Tenochtitlán: (m) capital of the Aztec Empire, (now Mexico City)
vestido: (m) dress
viajar a caballo: travel by horse
GRAMMAR
Hypothetical Past
In order to speak about a hypothetical past, that is, something that didn’t occur but which might have occurred in the past, you will want to know how to express the idea, “I would have liked to…” There are several ways to say this in Spanish:
| Me hubiera gustado haber crecido en el campo. | I would have liked to have grown up in the country. | |
| Me habría gustado vivir al lado del mar. | I would have liked to live next to the sea | |
| Me gustaría haber crecido en una familia culturalmente mixta. | I would like to have grown up in a culturally mixed family. |
The first example uses the following formula:
Indirect object pronoun + hubiera + gustado + haber + past participle
The second example uses the following formula:
Indirect object pronoun + habría + gustado + verb in infinitive form
The third example uses the following formula:
Indirect object pronoun + gustaría + haber + past participle
Another way to speak about a hypothetical past is to use the construction:
Quisiera + haber + past participle
| For example: | ||
| Quisiera haber crecido en el renacimiento. | I wish I had grown up in the Renaissance. |
