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G4 · Grammar

Conditional Clauses — Oraciones con Si

Si llueve, no salimos — and a first look at si tuviera

Real conditions: si + present

For real, likely conditions, Spanish works like English: si + present tense, then present or future for the result.

Si llueve, no salimos. (If it rains, we do not go out.)

Si estudias, aprobarás el examen. (If you study, you will pass the exam.)

Note: si (if) has no accent. Sí with an accent means yes.

Order is flexible

The si-clause can come first or second. When it comes first, add a comma.

Si hace sol, vamos a la playa. (If it is sunny, we go to the beach.)

Vamos a la playa si hace sol. (Same meaning, no comma.)

The golden rule: never si + conditional

Whatever happens, the verb right after si is never the future and never the conditional. English speakers usually get this right by instinct — until they translate "would" word for word.

Wrong: Si tendría dinero... / Si lloverá mañana...

Right: Si tengo dinero... / Si llueve mañana...

The conditional lives in the result half of the sentence, never after si.

Unreal conditions: si tuviera..., viajaría

For imaginary situations, Spanish uses si + imperfect subjunctive, then the conditional: like English "If I had time, I would travel".

Si tuviera tiempo, viajaría más. (If I had time, I would travel more.)

Si fuera rico, compraría una casa en la playa. (If I were rich, I would buy a house on the beach.)

Si pudiera, te ayudaría. (If I could, I would help you.)

Spotting the -ra forms

The imperfect subjunctive comes from the ellos form of the preterite: drop -ron, add -ra. At B1, recognise the big four.

tuvieron → tuviera (tener: had)

fueron → fuera (ser: were)

pudieron → pudiera (poder: could)

hicieron → hiciera (hacer: did/made)

Common Mistakes

Traps for English speakers

These are the errors English speakers make most often.

Si tendría dinero, compraría un coche.
→
Si tuviera dinero, compraría un coche.
Never the conditional after si — the if-clause takes the imperfect subjunctive
Si lloverá mañana, no saldremos.
→
Si llueve mañana, no saldremos.
Even about the future, si takes the present tense
Sí llueve, no salimos.
→
Si llueve, no salimos.
If = si with no accent; sí with an accent means yes
Si tuviera tiempo, viajaba más.
→
Si tuviera tiempo, viajaría más.
The result of an unreal condition uses the conditional, not the imperfect
Si era tú, no lo haría.
→
Si fuera tú, no lo haría.
"If I were you" needs the subjunctive fuera, not the imperfect era

Recap: Conditional Clauses

Real condition
si + presente, + presente
Si llueve, no salimos.
Future result
si + presente, + futuro
Si estudias, aprobarás.
Unreal condition
si + imperf. subjuntivo, + condicional
Si tuviera tiempo, viajaría.
Key -ra forms
tuviera, fuera, pudiera, hiciera
Si pudiera, te ayudaría.
Banned after si
never futuro or condicional
Si tengo (not "si tendré") tiempo...
Si vs sí
si = if; sí = yes
Si llueve... / Sí, claro.
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