hii,

I am learning English for around 5 years and I still can’t comprehend the meaning of “would” and “count” in some context. are they just past form of “will” and “can”?

“would you like coffee” means a person is asking if you liked coffee in past? “I would do it” means I did it in past?

I really don’t understand since my language doesn’t have anything like those words.

Edit: Thank you for answering my naive question :)

  • TheBananaKing@lemmy.world
    12·
    12 days ago

    Could is maybe-can: I bet I could jump over that car [if I wanted to].

    As opposed to I bet I can jump over that car [and I’m going to try].

    Would is maybe-will: If you saw an alligator, would you run away?

    Would is also ‘did’, for habitual actions. When I was young, I would wait by the window for my father to come home.

    • A_A@lemmy.world
      3·
      12 days ago

      Great answer, straight to the point, easy to understand for non-native English speaker
      … and you also add this last part that I didn’t know.