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 быти ('to be') followed by the past active participle of the main verb (the -лъ/-ла/-ло/-ли form).
- Aorist forms of 'быти': бы́хъ, бы́, бы́, бы́ховѣ, бы́ста, бы́стѣ, бы́хомъ, бы́сте, бы́шѧ
- Formation: Aorist of 'быти' + Past active participle (-лъ/-ла/-ло/-ли)
- Examples: Азъ бы́хъ чи́талъ (masc.) / бы́хъ чи́тала (fem.) тоу книгѫ́ (I would read that book). Онъ бы́ ѥдинъ шьлъ въ кино́ (He would go to the cinema alone). Мꙑ бы́хомъ сътвори́ли сиѥ все вьсе́ѭ (We would do all this together). Чьто́ бы́сте хотѣ́ли? (What would you like?).