Character

Conditional Forms: Saying "Would Do"

To talk about hypothetical situations or what someone "would do," you use the conditional mood. This is formed using the aorist forms of the verb бы́ти ('to be') followed by the past active participle of the main verb (the -лъ/-ла/-ло/-ли form).

• Aorist forms of 'бы́ти': бꙑ́хъ, бꙑ́, бꙑ́, бꙑ́ховѣ, бꙑ́ста, бꙑ́стѣ, бꙑ́хомъ, бꙑ́сте, бꙑ́шѧ
• Formation: Aorist of 'бы́ти' + Past active participle (-лъ/-ла/-ло/-ли)
• Examples: А́зъ бꙑ́хъ чи́талъ (masc.) / бꙑ́хъ чи́тала (fem.) тꙋ̀ кни́гꙋ (I would read that book). То́й бꙑ́ є҆ді́нъ шє́лъ въ кино̀ (He would go to the cinema alone). Мꙑ̀ бꙑ́хомъ сътвори́ли сіѐ всѐ вьсе́ю (We would do all this together). Что̀ бꙑ́сте хотѣ́ли? (What would you like?).