what is the actual meaning of "would" and "could"?

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 :)

skeezix ,

Will do: it is certain he do it in future.

Would do: it is certain he decide to do now or in future it if he has ability to do and/or knows about it and/or nothing else stop him.

Would have done: it is certain he decide to do in past if he had ability to do and/or knew about it and/or nothing else stop him.

Can do: he have ability to do now or in future.

Could do: he have ability to do now or in future if he decide to do and/or no external condition that stops it being done.

Could have done: he had the ability, he didn't do in past (maybe there are reasons).

would = intent to do if there is ability.
could = ability to do if there is intent.

  • intent: the desire to do and/or the knowledge that it needs to be done and/or no external condition that stops it being done.

"would you like coffee" = If I give to you ability to drink coffee right now, what is your answer, Yes or No?

"I would do it" = If nothing stops me and I have the ability to do, then I do it. This is said with knowledge that some condition must be met before you can do it:
"I would drink that coffee if you give it to me."
It is letting the listener know that you intend to do action, but it first requires some other thing to happen which gives you ability.

glimse ,

This is a great write up BUT there are other mistakes you should fix since you're helping someone learn. "He have" instead of "he has," etc.

fishos ,
@fishos@lemmy.world avatar

WTF NO! You suggested that bullshit? I wondered why everything was so goddamn clunky.

"HE HAS", NOT "HE HAVE". And should be the ability.

The way it's written now sounds EXACTLY like someone who's first language ISNT English trying to teach someone else English. It's butchered terribly.

glimse ,

No, they wrote "have" which I am saying is one of the issues with their comment

fishos ,
@fishos@lemmy.world avatar

"He have" instead of "he has," etc.

Then you meant to write "'He has' instead of 'he have'". You wrote it backwards. Thanks for the downvote for YOUR mistake.

thelasttoot ,

Will do can also mean enough. Like,

Susaga ,
@Susaga@sh.itjust.works avatar

Would is a hypothetical will. "Would you dance" is a general query, but "will you dance" is a call to action. A lot of the time, would is followed by if, as in, "would you dance if I asked you to?"

"Would you like coffee" is a round-about way to ask if you want coffee. Full form would be "if I brought you coffee, would you like it?"

Past tense is "would have", such as "would you have liked coffee?" This is generally a missed opportinuty where you didn't do something, and you're asking so you can know more for the future. Saying "I would have" generally means "I didn't."

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