 | English  | German |  |
 | [we/they/you] wish [would like] | 1505 [wir/sie/Sie] möchten |  |
 | sb./sth. could [would be able] | 1324 jd./etw. könnte |  |
 | [we/they/you] could [would be able] | 171 [wir/sie/Sie] könnten |  |
 | sb. woulda [coll.] [would have] | 108 jd. hätte |  |
 | [you] could [would be able] | 103 [du] könntest |  |
 | [you] could [would be able] | 36 [ihr] könntet |  |
 | druther {adv} [Am.] [dial.] [(would) rather, by preference] | 36 eher [lieber] |  |
 | quote RadioTV ["Which one would you like?" based on the "What is my profession?" quiz show question: "Which piggy-bank would you like?"] | Welches Schweinderl hätten S' denn gern? [Robert Lembke, «Was bin ich?»] |  |
 | [I] couldn't [would not be able] | [ich] könnte nicht |  |
 | proverb [used e.g. by actors to answer a good wish out of the superstition that giving thanks would bring bad luck] | Wird schon schiefgehen! [ugs.] |  |
 | [we/they/you] couldn't [would not be able] | [wir/sie/Sie] könnten nicht |  |
 | [you] couldn't [would not be able] | [du] könntest nicht |  |
 | [you] couldn't [would not be able] | [ihr] könntet nicht |  |
 | he'd [he would] | er würde |  |
 | I'd [I would] | ich würde |  |
 | it'd [it would] | es würde |  |
 | sb. couldn't [would not be able] | jd. könnte nicht |  |
 | she'd [she would] | sie würde |  |
 | they'd [they would] | sie würden |  |
 | we'd [we would] | wir würden |  |
 | who'd [who would] | wer würde |  |
 | Who'd've ...? [coll.] [Who would have ...?] | Wer hätte / wäre ... |  |
 | you'd [you would] | du würdest |  |
 | you'd [you would] | Sie würden [formelle Anrede] |  |
 | you'd've [coll.] [you would have] | du hättest |  |
Verbs |
 | to rather sb./sth. [nonstandard or regional] [prefer] [often with a modal verb, e.g. I would rather a coffee] | 68 jdn./etw. vorziehen |  |
 | to blank sb. [Br.] [intentionally ignore someone you would normally greet] | 55 jdn. ignorieren [den man normalerweise begrüßen würde] |  |
 | [to pronounce sp and st like the English would; esp. Northern German] | über den spitzen Stein stolpern [Redewendung] |  |
Nouns |
 | hist. relig. [assurance that a change in the religion of the ruler would not require his subjects to also convert] | Religionsversicherung {f} |  |
 | [change that would result in an increase in value] | wertsteigernde Veränderung {f} |  |
 | law [defence based on a misinterpretation of facts which, had they been true, would have been exculpatory] | Erlaubnistatbestandsirrtum {m} |  |
 | law [defence based on a misinterpretation of facts which, had they been true, would have been exculpatory] | Erlaubnistatumstandsirrtum {m} <ETI> |  |
 | jobs [employee earning less than they would under new pay agreements, literally undershooter] | Unterschreiter {m} [Beschäftigter im tariflichen Entgelt-Rahmenabkommen] |  |
 | jobs [employee earning more than they would under new pay agreements, literally overshooter] | Überschreiter {m} [Beschäftigter im tariflichen Entgelt-Rahmenabkommen] |  |
 | [letter stating that one's job application would be filed for future vacancies] | Eis-Schreiben {n} [Jargon im Personalwesen] |  |
2 Words: Others |
 | You wouldn't've ... [coll.] [You would not have] | Sie hätten / wären nicht ... |  |
2 Words: Verbs |
 | to befit sb. well [e.g. That would befit him well.] | jdm. gut anstehen [geh.] [z. B. Das stünde ihm gut an.] |  |
3 Words: Others |
 | Neither (, thanks). [answering, e.g. "Would you like tea or coffee?"] | Weder noch. (Danke.) [Antwort, z. B. auf "Möchtest du Tee oder Kaffee?"] |  |
3 Words: Verbs |
 | to do the Knowledge [Br.] [as a would-be London taxi driver] | sich auf die Taxifahrerprüfung vorbereiten |  |
4 Words: Others |
 | either more or less {adv} [in context of negation; e.g.: We would be unlikely to smoke either more or less.] | weder mehr noch weniger [z. B.: Wir würden wahrscheinlich weder mehr noch weniger rauchen.] |  |
 | It was no use. [The effort would not succeed.] | Es hatte aber keinen Zweck. |  |
 | idiom Who'd have thunk it? [sl., also: Whodathunkit] [Who would have thought it?] | Wer hätte das gedacht? |  |
5+ Words: Others |
 | He couldn't have written the letter. [He would not have been able to] | Er hätte den Brief nicht schreiben können. |  |
 | quote I wish that there would not be a peasant so poor in all my realm who would not have a chicken in his pot every Sunday. [attr. to Henry IV of France] | Ich wünsche / wünschte, dass sonntags jeder Bauer sein Huhn im Topfe hat. [Heinrich IV. von Frankreich zugeschr.] |  |
 | I would be grateful if you would act on this request at your earliest convenience. | Ich wäre dankbar, wenn Sie diesem Ersuchen so bald wie möglich nachkommen könnten. |  |
 | I would be grateful if you would action this request at your earliest convenience. [esp. Br.] | Ich wäre dankbar, wenn Sie diesem Ersuchen so bald wie möglich nachkommen könnten. |  |
 | sb. would eat shit with sugar on it [vulg.] [would be unfussy about food] | [Slang für: jd. wäre nicht mäklig im Essen] |  |
 | This would mean they would have ... | Das hieße, sie hätten ... |  |
 | We would be honoured if you would visit us at the fair. [Br.] | Bitte beehren Sie uns mit einem Besuch auf der Messe. [geh.] |  |
Fiction (Literature and Film) |
 | mus. F Gladly shall I bear the cross [also: I would gladly carry the Cross-beam / Cross] | Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen [J. S. Bach, BWV 56] |  |