Si clauses - Practice

Question

Hola a todos

There are three types of 'si clauses' in Spanish where certain tenses should be used to express an 'if' situation.

1. Present indicative - Future (e.g. 'si voy al colegio, seré más listo'

2. Imperfect subjunctive - Conditional (e.g. 'si tocara el piano, podría ser músico'

3. Past perfect subjunctive - Conditional perfect (e.g. 'si hubiera hecho mis deberes, no habría suspendido el examen'

Hopefully you can think of some amusing statements using these 'si clauses'

P.S. As far as I know, this is the grammatically correct way of expressing these things, if in everyday conversations people tend to do something different, please message me

... no habría suspendido... :) - Tosh, Apr 27, 2014

Answer 1

Si hubiera traído mi chaqueta, no habría tenido tanto frío.

Answer 2

Si viajara dieciocho días, cuatro horas y cuarenta y tres minutos hacia el futuro, estaría en un avión con destino a España.

If I traveled eighteen days, four hours, and forty-three minutes into the future, I would be on a plane bound for Spain.

¿Y para cuanto tiempo te quedarás en España? - annierats, Apr 28, 2014

La mitad de un mes! :)) - Tosh, Apr 28, 2014

Answer 3

The first group has 3 different options:

1. if + presente indicativo + presente indicativo

Si comes, engordas. If you eat, you get fatter.

1. if + presente indicativo + futuro indicativo

Si comes, engordarás. If you eat, you will get fatter.

1. if + presente indicativo + imperativo.

Si llegas después de las 8pm, no me llames. If you arrive after 8pm, don't call me.

Also , the third group has 2 options:

1. if + pluscuamperfecto subjuntivo + condicional perfecto

Si hubiera hecho mis deberes, no HABRÍA SUSPENDIDO el examen (habré suspendiendo is not correct. Habré is future and if it's future perfect it has to be follow by a participle, not a gerund)

1. if + pluscuamperfecto subjuntivo + pluscuamperfecto subjuntivo

Si hubiera hecho mis deberes no hubiera suspendido el examen.

Both options (condicional perfecto o pluscuamperfecto del subjuntivo) are correct and they mean exactly the same.

I hope this can help you. You can find more useful Spanish tips in my website. Visit it and if you like it don't forget to click "I like"

Thanks! - annierats, Apr 28, 2014

Ah, sorry, I've corrected the mistakes on the 3rd type. Thanks for the other options on the 1st and 3rd. Muchas gracias :) - jamesbpiano, Apr 28, 2014

Answer 4

Si quiero traer a mi perro a España tengo que ir al veterinario con él, por su vacunación contra la rabia.

If I want to take my dog to Spain I have take him o the vet , so he can have his rabies-vaccination.

Answer 5

Si me voy a España compro turrón.

If I go to Spain, I will buy nougat candy.