Past Conditional

Level 4

bio bih + past participle = would have.

How It Works

PersonForm
jabio bih došao, bila bih došla
tibio bi došao
on, onabio bi došao, bila bi došla
mibili bismo došli
vibili biste došli
onibili bi došli

The first word is bio or bila, because the short helper bih must follow it. So write Bio bih došao and not Bih bio došao.

In everyday talk many speakers use the shorter conditional for this idea: Došao bih, ali nisam imao vremena. The longer form is clearer and more careful.

With da sam there is another way to talk about unreal past events: Da sam znao, došao bih.

Examples (4)

  1. Bio bih ostao duže.

    I would have stayed longer. (a man speaking)

    Bio bih ostao is the past conditional.

  2. Ajla bi bila došla, ali je padala kiša.

    Ajla would have come, but it was raining.

    Bi bila došla is feminine.

  3. Bili bismo kupili kafu, ali je dućan bio zatvoren.

    We would have bought coffee, but the shop was closed.

    Bili bismo kupili uses the plural.

  4. Bila bih ti pomogla.

    I would have helped you. (a woman speaking)

    Bila bih pomogla is feminine.

Common Mistakes

  • Starting with the short helper.

    Bih bio došao.
    Bio bih došao.

    Bih cannot be the first word.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Past ConditionalLevel 4

Learn This First

The past conditional adds a past form.