MODO CONDICIONAL IN SPANISH: MOOD OR TENSE OF THE VERB

Abstract

The paper examines the grammatical status of Modo Condicional in the Spanish system: can Condicional be considered a separate mood or is it one of the times of Modo Indicativo? To solve this issue, the works of both Russian and foreign linguists are analyzed, in which arguments in favor of one or another point of view are given. Particular attention is paid to the dual nature and functional relationship of Condicional with the Indicative (Modo Indicativo) and Subjunctive (Modo Subjuntivo) moods. The paper touches upon the question of the historical development of Condicional, its morphological features and syntactic functions in modern speech acts. As a result of the study, it is concluded that it is necessary to revise the traditional approach to Condicional as an exclusively temporary form. The importance of Condicional in the expression of subjective modality and its role in the pragmatics of Spanish speech is also emphasized. The work is based on a broad database of examples from contemporary Spanish literature.