"si...." and subj. in present tense

Question

There was a post posted about not using subj. in the present tense. However What about this sentence which "cogumela" corrected for me" and turned aprendas into aprendes

Si dibujas mucho aprendes a ver las cosas de una forma distinta

Confused a bit.

---

the last post was refering to whether or not you use subj. here

Creo que lo hago - creo que lo haga

Answer 1

There are two kind of "si", if you want to call them that. One of them is the equivalent of "whether", and it does not inform of what happens if the answer is yes or not, as in "No sé si vendrá" (I won't know whether he'll come). This one actually accepts the present subjunctive, but it is so comparatively unusual, that even educated native speakers see the present subjunctive as a grammatical mistake here. My advice is that you avoid it, but be aware that its use is not impossible.

The other "si" is more common, and you are expected to say what will happen if the condition becomes true, as in "Si vienes, te invito". Here, the condition is conceived as a perfectly objective and real possibility, to the point that it is declared with several tenses in indicative. If the condition is seen as impossible to be declared, because it never happened or it is not likely to happen (or it is not conceived as such), you use past subjunctive tenses (i.e. imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive).

Summing up: if the condition can happen, use indicative. If the condition is unreal or hypothetical, use past subjunctive tenses. There are rare cases where present subjunctive can be used afer "si", but leave them until you are fluent. Many natives have never seen them before.

Si dibujas mucho aprendes... = I you/one draws a lot, you/one lear(s)... (General statement)

Si dibujas mucho aprenderás... = I you draws a lot, you will lear... (Prediction)

Sigh. More exceptions to the rules. - 0074b507, Apr 15, 2011

If it makes you feel better, I would never use the present subjunctive after "si". To me it sounds bad, but I am aware of what grammars say. - lazarus1907, Apr 15, 2011

soooo clear now. thank you.........!!!!!!!!!! - dewclaw, Apr 15, 2011

Answer 2

In case you think that you have been hoodwinked:

if clauses

Reminders/tips

1. The present subjunctive is NOT used after si (“if”)!

When cogumela turned aprendas into aprendes she was changing from present subjunctive to present indicative.

[dibujas is present indicative; it is not violating the present subjunctive rule after if]

but cogu corrected me, and she is native! - dewclaw, Apr 15, 2011

The present subjunctive is NOT used after si (“if”)! - I have to agree, after having consulted the R A E diccionario de dudas. - Deanski, Apr 15, 2011

You're not following. You were wrong to use aprendas (subjunctive) , it should have been aprendes. There is no need for the subjunctive in the sentence. - 0074b507, Apr 15, 2011

Try substituting aprenderás in for aprendes and see if it makes sense to you. The present tense here can also be seen as future time. - 0074b507, Apr 15, 2011

With future tense you change the meaning. - lazarus1907, Apr 15, 2011