SPANISH 406
Adverbial Clauses:
Conditional Sentences


   I. PAIRING OF VERBS. In a conditional subordinate clause introduced by si, one normally finds the verb in the present indicative, imperfect indicative, present perfect indicative, imperfect subjunctive, or pluperfect subjunctive. The choice of verb form in the subordinate clause is linked to the tense of the verb in the main clause. Usual combinations are as follows:


           
IN SI CLAUSE                  IN MAIN CLAUSE


        1. Present indicative                          Future indicative
                                                                          Present indicative
                                                                          Present perfect or preterite ind.

        2. Imperfect indicative                     Imperfect indicative


        3. Present perfect ind.                     Present indicative
                                                                         Present perfect indicative
                                                                         Future indicative


        4. Imperfect subjunctive                  Conditional


        5. Pluperfect subjunctive                Conditional
                                                                          Conditional perfect


        EXAMPLES:

            1. Si tienes dinero, lo gastas.
                    ----------------, lo gastarás.
                    ----------------, lo has robado.

            2. Si estaba de buen humor, venía a comer conmigo.

            3. Si has hecho eso, has hecho una tontería.
                Si te he ofendido, lo siento.
                Si has terminado la tarea, puedes ir al cine.

            4. Si me quisieras de verdad, te casarías conmigo.

            5. Si hubieras estudiado más, estarías más contento ahora.
                    ------------------------- habrías salido mejor en el examen.

 

II. REWRITE EXERCISE. Change the verb in the si clause to imperfect subjunctive or pluperfect subjunctive, and               change the tense of the main verb accordingly.


1. Si tengo tiempo, iré.


2. Si veo a María, le diré la verdad.


3. Si veo a Pepe, me tapo la cara.


4. Si me gusta el traje, lo voy a comprar.


5. Si tengo hambre, como.


6. Si me invitas, saldré contigo.


7. Si hay más comunicación, hay menos guerras.


8. Si trabajas mucho, tu jefe va a ganar mucho dinero.


9. Si has terminado tu trabajo, puedes salir.


10. Si llueve, llevo el paraguas.



III. TRANSLATE TO SPANISH.    Which sentences are not conditional?

1. If we continue to poison the land and the sea, our planet will soon be uninhabitable.


2. I would not have drunk so much last night if I had known it was going to give me a hangover.


3. If your grandmother calls, tell her I'm waiting for her.


4. If he was a thief, he didn't look like it.


5. If you should see her, please tell her I miss her.


6. If I had known Pepe was going to be there, I wouldn't have gone.


7. He talks as if he knew a lot, but he doesn't.


8. If she came home last night, I didn't hear her.


9. I don't know whether she loves me or not.


10. I don't know whether he's a thief or not.   But if he is, I don't care.

 


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