Si Clauses - Spanish If-Then Clauses: Unlikely or Currently Contrary Situations

Spanish si clauses, also known as conditionals or conditional sentences, are used to express what could happen if some condition is met. There are three different kinds of si clauses. In this lesson, we'll look at the second most common type of si clause: unlikely or currently contrary situations. I call these "currently contrary" because the situation described is not currently true. But if the situation changed, the result clause would be able to occur.

The currently contrary si-clause, known as the second conditional, is expressed as follows: the condition clause (which starts with si) requires the imperfect subjunctive, while the result clause takes the conditional. The order of the clauses is unimportant.

For example...

Si tuviera dinero, irķa contigo - If I had money, I would go with you.
Irķa contigo si tuviera dinero - I would go with you if I had money.
(I don't have any money so I can't go, but if I did [currently contrary], I would be able to.)

Si fueras con nosotros, podrķas ver tu hermano. - If you went with us, you could see your brother.
Podrķas ver tu hermano si fueras con nosotros. - You could see your brother if you went with us.
(You say you don't want to go with us, so you won't see your brother, but if you did go with us [currently contrary], you would see him.)

First conditional     Third conditional

Imperfect subjunctive     Conditional

Intro to Si Clauses     Test on Si Clauses

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