Unreal conditions: si tuviera…
For hypothetical or unlikely situations in the present or future, use si + imperfect subjunctive, and the conditional in the main clause.
| si-clause | main clause | example |
|---|---|---|
| si + imperfect subjunctive | conditional | Si tuviera dinero, compraría una casa. |
| (contrary to fact now) | Si fuera tú, no lo haría. | |
| (unlikely future) | Si me tocara la lotería, dejaría el trabajo. |
Rules
- Never the conditional after si: Si tendría ✗ → Si tuviera ✓.
- Order is free: Compraría una casa si tuviera dinero.
- Yo que tú / yo en tu lugar + conditional = if I were you: Yo que tú, no iría.
- De + infinitive can replace si: De tener tiempo, iría (formal).
Examples
- Si hablara mejor español, trabajaría en Madrid.If I spoke better Spanish, I would work in Madrid.
- ¿Qué harías si pudieras volar?What would you do if you could fly?
- Si no lloviera, iríamos a la playa.If it weren’t raining, we’d go to the beach.
- Yo que tú, hablaría con él.If I were you, I’d talk to him.
- Si fuera rico, compraría una isla.If I were rich, I would buy an island.
Common mistakes
- ✗ Si tendría dinero, compraría.✓ Si tuviera dinero, compraría.The conditional goes only in the main clause. English “If I had” has no “would” in the if-clause.
- ✗ Si yo sería tú, iría.✓ Si yo fuera tú, iría.Use the imperfect subjunctive in the if-clause. English “If I were you” is the subjunctive, which survives only in this phrase.
- ✗ Si pudiera, iré.✓ Si pudiera, iría.Subjunctive in the if-clause pairs with the conditional, not the future.
- ✗ Si tengo dinero, compraría.✓ Si tuviera dinero, compraría.A hypothetical situation needs the imperfect subjunctive. Mixing present and conditional is a common English slip.
- ✗ Si sabría, diría.✓ Si supiera, diría.Saber has the irregular subjunctive stem sup-. The conditional never appears in the if-clause.