Let’s learn how some verbal tenses lose their primary use and they are able to express doubts or insecurities.

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How do we express uncertainty in Spanish?
Let’s learn how some verbal tenses lose their primary use and they are able to
express doubts or insecurities.
We can use conditional simple to introduce a probability in the past, in a finished
time. If we are sure of it we should choose the indefinite preterite:
• Certain: – ¿Qué hizo ayer Donald Trump? – Dio un mitin en Nueva York, yo
estuve allí (– What did Donald Trump do yesterday? – He gave a speech in
New York, I was there).
• Uncertain: – ¿Qué hizo ayer Donald Trump? – No sé, quizá publicaría un tuit
polémico (– What did Donald Trump do yesterday? – I don’t know, maybe he
posted a controversial tweet).
We can use perfect future to introduce a probability in the past but in a non finished
time. If we are sure of it we should choose the preterit perfect:
• Certain: El suelo está mojado, ha llovido; mira, todo el mundo lleva
paraguas (the ground is wet, it rained. Look, everybody is carrying their
umbrellas.).
• Uncertain: El suelo está mojado, habrá llovido, pero ¡qué raro!, hace sol. (the
ground is wet, it might have rained, but how strange! It’s sunny).
We can use future continuous to introduce a probability in the present, at the same
time we are speaking. If we are sure of it we should choose the present continuous:
• Certain: – ¿Dónde está tu hija? – Está escuchando música; ¿no lo oyes? (–
Where is your daughter? – She’s listening to music; don’t you hear it?).
• Uncertain: – ¿Dónde está tu hija? – ¡Qué sé yo! Estará tonteando con su
novio. (– Where is your daughter? – I don’t know. She might be fooling around
with her boyfriend).
We can use future simple to introduce a probability in the present, a frequent action.
If we are sure of it we should choose the present simple:
• Certain: – ¿Qué tiempo hace normalmente en Bilbao? – Llueve mucho; viví
allí nueve años. (– What’s the weather like in Bilbao? – It often rains; I lived
there for nine years).
• Uncertain: – ¿Qué tiempo hace normalmente en Bilbao? – Nunca he estado
allí, pero digo yo quelloverá mucho, como está en el norte… (– What’s the
weather like in Bilbao? – I’ve never been there, but I guess it rains a lot,
because it’s in the North).