How to Use Conditional Sentences: The Spanish Si Clauses
If the Dallas Cowboys ever won the Superbowl again, I would get myself a tattoo!
If “A” happens, I would “B.” How do you express an idea like that in Spanish?
Using the Spanish si clauses.
Also known as conditional sentences or just conditionals, the Spanish si clauses help you to express a condition that needs to be met in order for a certain consequence or result to take place.
You use a grammatical structure like this in English all the time; they are the if-then constructions. In Spanish, they are called the si clauses.
Possibilities
The Spanish si clauses allow you to talk about possibilities. These possibilities, by definition, may or may not become realities. Going back to my example at the start of this article, if it were a fact that the Dallas Cowboys will win the Superbowl, I wouldn’t need to use an if-then construction. I could just say:
“I’m getting myself a tattoo once the Dallas Cowboys win the Superbowl.”
Because it’s far from the fact that my favorite football team will win a Superbowl ever again, it requires me to explain it as a possibility, instead of a guaranteed scenario.
So, how do you say, “If the Dallas Cowboys won the Superbowl again, I would get myself a tattoo.” in Spanish?
Take a look:
Si los Dallas Cowboys ganaran el Superbowl otra vez, me haría un tatuaje.
Let’s break this down:
Structure of the Spanish Si Clauses
The Spanish si clauses have two parts or clauses:
- The si clause
- The result
The Si Clause
The first clause is known as the si clause, and it sets the condition:
Si los Dallas Cowboys ganaran el Superbowl otra vez… — If the Dallas Cowboys ever win the Superbowl again…
The condition here is the Cowboys winning the Superbowl.
The Result
If that happens, then you get to the second clause which indicates the consequence or result if the condition is met:
…me haría un tatuaje. — …I would get myself a tattoo.
Types of Spanish Si Clauses
Spanish si clauses come in three different flavors to express three different kinds of possibilities:
- Primer Condicional (1st Conditional): for conditions that are likely to happen.
- Segundo Condicional (2nd Conditional): for conditions that are hypothetical or unreal.
- Tercer Condicional (3rd Conditional): for imaginary situations in the past.
Let’s dig deep into each one of them.
Primer Condicional – First Conditional
The good news is that for the primer condicional you don’t have to deal with the subjunctive mood. The bad news is that you have to deal with three different cases:
1. Si…Present Tense, …Present Tense
You use this case for things that happen with regularity when a condition is met. In this specific structure of the si clauses, you can replace si (if) with cuando (when). Note that in English the result is expressed in the future tense, while in Spanish it’s in the present tense.
Si te duermes, yo apago la luz. – If you fall asleep, I’ll turn off the light.
Cuando te duermes, yo apago la luz. – When you fall asleep, I’ll turn off the light.
Si llueve, nos vamos a casa. – If it rains, we’ll go home.
Cuando llueve, nos vamos casa. – When it rains, we’ll go home.
2. Si…Present Tense, …Future Tense
You use this case for situations that will happen in the future if the condition is met in the present, similar to English.
Si haces la tarea, aprobarás el examen. – If you do your homework, you’ll pass the exam.
Si trabajas duro, tendrás éxito. – If you work hard, you’ll be successful.
3. Si…Present Tense, …Imperative
The final case of the primer condicional is the “si present, imperative” construction. You use this structure to give an order using the imperative mood, once a condition has been met in the present.
Si te sientes mal, descansa un poco. – If you feel bad, take a break.
Si terminas temprano, llámame. – If you finish early, call me.
Segundo Condicional – Second Conditional
The second conditional is useful to express situations that are unlikely to happen. For this, you need to use the imperfect subjunctive in the si clause. Then, in the second part of the sentence you use the conditional tense to express what could or would happen.
Si fuera millonario, tendría un yate. – If I were a millionaire, I would have a yacht.
Si estuvieras aquí, te abrazaría con fuerza. – If you were here, I would hold you tight.
This is the case I need to use for my Dallas Cowboys fan dreams. Due to the fact that it’s unlikely to happen, I have to use the imperfect subjunctive in the following way:
Si los Dallas Cowboys ganaran el Superbowl otra vez, me haría un tatuaje.
If the Dallas Cowboys won the Superbowl again, I would get myself a tattoo.
Tercer Condicional – Third Conditional
You use the third conditional for impossible or imaginary situations in the past. The structure is as follows: Si + past perfect (pluperfect) subjunctive, past perfect subjunctive or conditional.
Si lo hubiera sabido, nunca me lo habría comido. – If I had known, I would have never eaten it.
Si te hubiera invitado, habrías venido. – If I had invited you, you would have come.
Spanish Si Clauses and Conjugations
The Spanish si clauses are similar in logic to how they work in English. The issue you may have while using them is the conjugations, as you need to get a grasp of the moods that each conditional is using.
The primer condicional is the easiest one. Here you use the indicative mood, with the most common conjugations. Just remember that the third case of this conditional is the only one using the imperative mood.
Also, the imperative mood might not be very common, but it’s very easy, as it only comes in the second person.
For the second and third conditionals, you need to dig in the subjunctive conjugations. That’s the real issue with the Spanish si clauses, the conjugations of the subjunctive mood. Master those, and you’ll have no problem with the si clauses.
If You Had a Free Class…
Si tuvieras una clase gratis, ¿la tomarías? (If you had a free class, would you take it?). That’s what Homeschool Spanish Academy is offering you! Book a free class with one of our native Spanish-speaking certified teachers, and practice the Spanish si clauses in real-time.
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