Rare One-Word Conditionals (Recognition)

Level 6

Some verbs have a one-word conditional: bléif = géif bleiwen (would stay), séiz = géif sëtzen (would sit). You mostly need to recognize them.

How It Works

1. The forms
These verbs have a one-word conditional in the dictionary:

  • stoen → stéing (would stand)
  • sëtzen → séiz (would sit)
  • leien → léich (would lie)
  • bleiwen → bléif (would stay)
  • huelen → héil (would take), and also halen → héil (would hold)
  • gesinn → geséich (would see)

They take the usual endings: du bléifs, mir bléifen, dir bléift.

2. Same meaning as géif
Hie bléif méi laang and Hie géif méi laang bleiwen both mean he would stay longer. The common verbs kéim, géing and wéisst work the same way and are much more frequent.

3. Careful with look-alikes
Some forms match other tenses. Héil can belong to huelen or halen. Léiss is the conditional of loossen, but du léiss is also the ordinary present: Du léiss mech ni ausschwätzen. Context decides.

4. What to use
Read and understand these forms. When you speak, use géif + infinitive, or wier/hätt for sinn and hunn.

Examples (6)

  1. Dat geséich ech gär!

    I would like to see that!

    Geséich is the conditional of gesinn. This phrase is common in speech.

  2. Ech héil nach eng Lusch Zopp!

    I would have another ladle of soup!

    Héil is the conditional of huelen here.

  3. De Schaf stéing besser am Eck.

    The cupboard would stand better in the corner.

    Same as: De Schaf géif besser am Eck stoen.

  4. Wann ech méi Zäit hätt, séiz ech de ganzen Dag am Gaart.

    If I had more time, I would sit in the garden all day.

  5. Wann ech kéint, léich ech elo am Bett.

    If I could, I would be lying in bed now.

  6. Wann et net esou kal wier, bléif ech nach e bëssen dobaussen.

    If it were not so cold, I would stay outside a bit longer.

    In speech: géif ech nach e bësse bleiwen.

Common Mistakes

  • Combining géif with a one-word conditional.

    Hie géif bléif méi laang.
    Hie géif méi laang bleiwen.

    Bléif is already a conditional. Use it alone (Hie bléif méi laang) or use géif with the infinitive bleiwen.

  • Using the present tense where an imagined result is meant (intended meaning: he would stay longer).

    Wann hien Zäit hätt, bleift hie méi laang.
    Wann hien Zäit hätt, bléif hie méi laang.

    Bleift is the ordinary present. For an imagined result, use the conditional bléif or géif ... bleiwen.

How It Connects

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

Rare One-Word Conditionals (Recognition)Level 6

Learn This First

Before Rare One-Word Conditionals (Recognition), learn One-Word Conditionals: Kéim, Géing, Wéisst.

Words in This Pattern

stoensëtzenleienbleiwenhuelenhalengesinn