20.1. If Clauses and Conditional Sentences
20.1.1. Conditional Sentences?
A conditional sentence is a complex sentence that describes a situation and its result.
It has two components:
- The subordinate clause (or more specifically, known as the antecedent, protasis or "if clause"), which expresses the condition.
- The main clause (more specifically, the consequent, or apodosis or "then clause"), which expresses the result.
Below are the different types of conditional sentences.
20.1.2. Type 1: Real Conditions
This type describes things that always happen if a certain condition is satisfied, like facts and general truths.
| If Clause | Main Clause |
|---|---|
| Si + Present Indicative | Present Indicative |
| Si se caleface la glaccîa, se fonde. | If ice is heated, it melts. |
| Si lo blanco et lo negro son mescolatos, lo resultato èst griso. | If white and black are mixed, the result is grey. |
20.1.3. Type 2: Likely Conditions
This type describes real and possible situations in the future.
| If Clause | Main Clause |
|---|---|
| Si + Present Indicative | - Present Indicative - Simple Future - Imperative |
| Si devo pagare tanto denario, non vale la pena. | If I must pay so much money, it is not worth it. |
| Si èst solejjato, vaderai ad lo parche. | If it is sunny, I will go the park. |
| Si non te place lo alimènto, non lo mangîes. | If you do not like the food, do not eat it. |
20.1.4. Type 3: Unlikely or Hypothetical Conditions
This type describes events that are not real now or events that are improbable.
| If Clause | Main Clause |
|---|---|
| Si + Imperfect Subjunctive | Present Conditional |
| Si fosse tu, non lo faría. | If I were you, I would not do it. |
| Si havesse molto denario, sería ricco. | If I had more money, I would be rich. |
| Si havesse plus tèmpo, vadería ad la plajja. | If I had more time, I would go to the beach. |
20.1.5. Type 4: Past Hypothetical Conditions
This type describes unreal situations in the past, meaning, things that could have happened, but did not for some reason. It is used to talk about regrets, hypotheses in the past or situations that cannot be changed.
| If Clause | Main Clause |
|---|---|
| Si + (Past Perfect Subjunctive / Pluperfect Subjunctive) | Conditional Perfect / Past Conditional |
| Si havesse studiato plus, havería obtenuto mellîores nòtas. | If I had studied more, I would have obtained better grades. |
| Si havesse saputo que cuesto passaría, jamàis havería venito. | If I had known that this would happen, I never would have come. |
20.1.6. Mixed Conditions
Combinations of verb tenses can be used to express the same meaning as different types.
Another possible use is to emphasize the reason why something happens rather than the condition itself.
| Si too patre te reprendeva, èra per que se preoccupava por ti. | If your father scolded you, it was because he was worried for you. |
| Non èst mèa colpa si hao havuto sòrte. | It is not my fault if I have been lucky. |