The Unreal Conditional

Present Unreal Conditional

El presente condicional irreal se utiliza para expresar una condición presente (o futura). Lo llamamos irreal porque nos dice qué pasaría o
cómo serían las cosas si la situación fuera diferente

The present unreal conditional is used to express a present (or future) condition. We call it unreal because it tells us what would happen or how
things would be if the situation were different:

• I don't have a car. I don't visit you often.  No tengo coche. No te visito a menudo

• If I had a car, I would visit you often.  Si tuviera un coche, te visitaría a menudo

The present unreal conditional is made up of an if-clause (if I had...) plus a main clause with would (I would visit).
El presente condicional irreal se compone de una cláusula if (si tuviera...) más una cláusula principal con would (te visitaría)

• You work so hard. You're tired all the time.  Trabajas mucho. Estás cansado todo el tiempo.
• If you didn't work so hard, you wouldn't be tired all the time. Si no trabajaras tanto, no estarías cansado todo el
tiempo.
• Fur coats are so expensive. I don't have one. Los abrigos de piel son muy caros. No tengo ninguno.
• If they weren't so expensive, I would have one.   Si no fueran tan caros, tendría uno.

The form of the verb in the if-clause is the same as the past tense form of the verb. There is one exception,
though: the verb be takes were for all persons: La forma del verbo en la cláusula if es la misma que la del pasado. Sin embargo, hay una
excepción: el verbo be toma were para todas las personas
I am / if I were Yo soy / si yo fuera
you are / if you were tú eres / si fueras
he is / if he were. él es / si fuera.

• If I were you, I would be more careful. Si yo fuera tú, tendría más cuidado.
• If you were leavin" earlier, I would "o with you.  Si te fueras antes, te acompañaría.
• what time would we get there if we took the subway
a qué hora llegaríamos si tomáramos el metro
 • Unreal Conditional

The past unreal conditional consists of two clauses, an if clause and a would clause.
The if -clause refers to an unreal past event or condition: El condicional
irreal pasado consta de dos cláusulas, una cláusula if y una cláusula would.
La cláusula if se refiere a un evento o condición irreal del pasado

• If I had arrived on time... (I didn't) Si hubiera llegado a tiempo... (No lo hice)

• If it hadn't rained yesterday... (it did)
The would clause describes the consequence: La cláusula would describe la consecuencia:
• ...I wouldn't have missed the train. no habría perdido el tren.
• ..we would have "one to the beach. habríamos "uno a la playa
It wasn't warm yesterday. we didn't go to the beach. Ayer no hacía calor. No fuimos a la playa
• If it had been warm yesterday, we would have "one to the beach. Si hubiera hecho calor ayer, habríamos "uno a la
playa".

an unreal past condition may have a consequence in either the present or the past.  una condición pasada irreal puede tener
una consecuencia en el presente o en el pasado.

• If you had listened to my advice, you wouldn't be in trouble now. (now)  Si hubieras escuchado mi consejo, no
estarías en problemas ahora. (ahora)
• If it had rained an hour ago, we would have stayed inside. Si hubiera llovido hace una hora, nos habríamos quedado dentro.

• If it had rained an hour ago, the streets would be wet. (now) Si hubiera llovido hace una hora, las calles estarían
mojadas.

Conditional centence Ty!e (0)

conditional type zero is used to talk about general truths, scientific facts or things which always happen under certain conditions.
El tipo condicional cero se utiliza para hablar de verdades generales, hechos científicos o cosas que siempre
ocurren bajo ciertas condiciones.
Form)
If   *imple +resent,  *imple +resent
Use)
The zero conditional is used to talk about things which are always true, scientific facts, general truths: El condicional
cero se utiliza para hablar de cosas que son siempre verdaderas, hechos científicos, verdades generales
examples:
 If you cross an international date line, the time changes. Si se cruza una línea de fecha internacional, la hora cambia.
 Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air. El fósforo arde si se expone al aire.
 If I wake up early, I go jogging. Si me despierto temprano, salgo a correr
 NOTE: you can use /when/ instead of /if/.
Conditional entence Ty!e +
ften called the /real/ conditional because it is used for real or possible situations. These situations ta e
 place if a certain condition is met. It is possible and also
If  *imple very likely that
+resent,  *implethe condition will be fulfilled.
0uture
Form)
Use

'onditional *entences T#pe 1 refer to the future. &n action in the future will onl# happen if a certain condition is fulfilled
b# that time. We don2t now for sure whether the condition actuall# will be fulfilled or not, but the conditions seems
rather realistic 3 so we thin it is liel# to happen.
*am!le)
 If I have enough time, I'll watch the football match.
I ma# have time to watch the match but I2m not sure about it.
Conditional entence Ty!e 

ften called the /unreal/ conditional because it is used for unreal impossible or improbable situations. This conditional
provides an imaginar# result for a given situation. It is very unlikely that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form)

•
 if - im!le Past, - would - base verb
#ere 
#as
In conditional t#pe 4, we usuall# use in the if clause / were/ instead of /was/ even if the pronoun is I,  he,
 she or it . /were/ here is a sub5unctive form.
 T /was/ is also a possible form.
*am!le:
 If I were a millionaire, I would buy a castle.

Use
'onditional *entences T#pe 4 refer to an action in the present that could happen if the present situation were
different. I don2t reall# expect the situation to change because it is ver# unliel#.
*am!le)
 If I had a lot of money, I would travel around the world.

Conditional entence Ty!e /

It is impossible that the condition will be met because it refers to the past.
Form)
if - Past Perfect, - would - have - Past Partici!le

Use
'onditional *entences T#pe 6 refer to situations in the past. The# express h#pothetical results to past given
situations.
*am!le)
 If he had been careful, he wouldn't have had that terrible accident.
*ometimes in the past, he was careless. $e drove so fast. *o he had a terrible accident
Thin"s to remember
1. The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don2t use a comma.
*am!les)
/+hosphorus burns if #ou expose it to air./
/ I will send her an invitation if I find her address./
/ I would travel around the world if I had a million dollars./
/$e wouldn2t have had that terrible accident if he had been careful./
4. ain clause and!or if clause might be negative.
*am!le:
If I don!t see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the evening.
If he had been careful, he wouldn't have had an accident.

he had been careful, he wouldn't have had an accident.