Si clauses second and third conditionals

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Si clauses- second and third conditionals

• Grammar essentials 138

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There are 3 different kinds of si clauses
1. First conditional likely situations
present present, future, and commands (grammar
essential 137) 2. Second conditional unlikely
situations currently contrary imperfect
subjunctive conditional 3. Third conditional
impossible situations pluperfect subjunctive
pluperfect subjunctive or conditional
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Si clause type 2

• Unlikely or currently contrary situations
• The situation described is not currently true,
  but the if the situation changes, the result
  clause would be able to occur.

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Si clause type 2

• The si clause requires past subjunctive
  (sometimes called imperfect subjunctive) and the
  independent clause is in the conditional tense.
• Order of the dependent and independent clause is
  unimportant.

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Si clauses type 2

• Examples
• If you went with us, we could eat there.
• Si fueras con nosotros, comeríamos allí.
• He would read the book, if he bought it.
• ?l leería el libro si lo comprara.

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Si clause type 3

• The impossible si clause
• The condition clause (which starts with si)
  requires the pluperfect subjunctive while the
  result clause takes the conditional perfect.

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Si clause type 3

• Before learning the pluperfect subjunctive, here
  is what it is going to look like.
• Examples in English.
• If I had known, I would have gone with you.
• If you had told me, I would have bought the book.

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Si clause type 3

• Pluperfect subjunctive
• (notice the word perfect meaning it will have
  haber conjugated with a past participle)

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Si clause type 3

• Examples in English.
• If I had known, I would have gone with you.
• Si hubiera sabido, habría ido contigo.
• If you had told me, I would have bought the book.
• Si hubieras a mí, yo habría comprado el libro.