Past and Future

[bleitzow]

I need more help ~ with past and future. Will you please provide me the correct translation before I dive any deeper into trying to learn these? Again, please don't use the "subjective, imperfect" stuff, I don't understand that in the English language. I selected bailar as an example.

Bailo
Bailaré
Bailé
Bailaba
Bailaría
Baile

And then there's "bailad" - what does this mean? My example was a photo of an adult talking to children.

If not already answered above, what is the word for "I used to dance"?

Thank you!
Brenda

[sosia]

Bailad it's an order, like Disparad! (Shoot!)
I'm not good in english, so I answer and the TOmisimo/Elain correct my english
Yo bailo Tango. I dance Tango (I can dance Tango)
Yo bailaré mañana. I will dance tomorrow.
Yo bailé ayer. I danced yesterday.
Yo bailaba de joven. I danced when I was young
Yo bailaría si no fuese tan torpe. I danced (could dance?) if I were not so clumsy
Baile: dance.

greetings

[Tomisimo]

Everything sosia wrote is correct. Here's some further info.

Bailo - I dance, I am dancing
Bailaré - I will dance. (Also, voy a bailar - I'm going to dance.)
Bailé - I danced.
Bailaba - I was dancing.
Bailaría - I would dance. (Bailaría si pudiera. I would dance if I could.)
Baile - There is no direct translation, since English hardly uses the subjunctive.
Bailad - Dance (command, informal, plural, use it in Spain when telling more than one person to dance, and they are younger than you, or they are all your friends.)

An example of using baile. (which is also a noun meaning dance. [un baile, a dance]).

Quiero que el salga y que baile una cumbia. Salir and bailar are both in the subjunctive here, which translates to:

I want him to come out and dance a cumbia.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by sosia

Yo bailaría si no fuese tan torpe. I danced (could dance?) if I were not so clumsy.

Would is the equivalent to the conditional ía ending in Spanish.

Yo bailaría si no fuese tan torpe.

I would dance if I were not so clumsy.

You can also use contractions:

I'd dance if I weren't so clumsy.

Were is the subjuntive of to be. One of the remaining examples of the subjunctive in English. But that is not always used. You can also say:

I'd dance if I wasn't so clumsy.
I would dance if I was not so clumsy.

[sosia]

Thanks Tomisimo

[ckc777]

Originally Posted by sosia

Yo bailé ayer. I danced yesterday.
Yo bailaba de joven. I danced when I was young

sosia or anyone else, Why is "danced" conjugated differently in the two examples? Thanks

[ckc777]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

Bailo - I dance, I am dancing

Tomisimo, Are you saying here that "bailo" in the present can be used instead of "estoy bailando" (I am dancing)?

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by ckc777

Tomisimo, Are you saying here that "bailo" in the present can be used instead of "estoy bailando" (I am dancing)?

No. What I'm saying is that estoy bailando literally translates as I am dancing, but in meaning it does not. Translating meaning gives you:

bailo - I dance / I am dancing
estoy bailando - I am in the act of dancing

The simple present tense in Spanish is usually used where we would use the present progressive in English.

Leo un libro = I'm reading a book.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by ckc777

sosia or anyone else, Why is "danced" conjugated differently in the two examples? Thanks

bailé (preterit) is used for actions that have been completed

bailaba (imperfect) is used for ongoing actions in the past, when we don´t know if they have been completed, or when we don't care, or to contrast them with another action.


bailé = I danced.
bailaba = I was dancing, I used to dance.

[ckc777]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

No. What I'm saying is that estoy bailando literally translates as I am dancing, but in meaning it does not. Translating meaning gives you:

bailo - I dance / I am dancing

estoy bailando - I am in the act of dancing

The simple present tense in Spanish is usually used where we would use the present progressive in English.

Leo un libro = I'm reading a book.

Would the following be correct?

bailo - I dance everyday in class/I'm dancing everyday in class.
leo - I read many books/I'm reading many books.

estoy bailando - I'm dancing while we speak on the phone.
estoy leyendo - I'm reading a book, but need a break. What are you doing now?

Thanks again!