Conditionals

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Many

visitors and subscribers ask us: I was told there are three or

four

conditionals in English, but I suppose I know just one. It is

true, there exist THREE different types of conditional sentences

in English. Let's study them here...

Muchos

visitantes y suscriptores nos consultan: Me dijeron que hay tres

o cuatro

tipos de condicionales pero creo saber sólo uno. Es cierto,

básicamente existen CUATRO tipos de condicionales en inglés que

analizamos aquí...

conditional type

0 >>

ZERO CONDITIONAL

IF + SIMPLE PRESENT + SIMPLE PRESENT

Used for scientific facts or general truths (usado para expresar verdades

científicas, hechos que nunca

cambian o situaciones que siempre ocurren).

Algunos gramáticos incluyen este tipo de condicional dentro de

FIRST CONDITIONAL o Conditional Type I.

If you heat butter, it melts.

Si calientas manteca, ésta se derrite.

If you put water in a cooler, it

freezes.

Si colocas agua en el congelador, ésta se congela.

If you heat water to 100 degrees,

it boils.

Si calientas agua a 100 grados, ésta hierve.

If you cross an international date

line, the time changes.

Si cruzas una línea de tiempo internacional, la hora cambia.

If you drop ice in water, it

floats.

Si tiras hielo al agua, éste flota.

If iron gets wet, it rusts.

Si el hierro se moja, se oxida.

conditional type

I >> FIRST CONDITIONAL

Used

to talk about things which are possible in the

present or the future. It is generally used for things which

may happen

(utilizado para cosas que pueden ocurrir en presente o futuro).

a)

IF +

SIMPLE PRESENT + SIMPLE FUTURE

If you study

hard,

you will pass your exams.

Si estudias intensamente aprobarás tus exámenes.

If we do not

protect the panda bears, they will soon become extinct.

Si no protegemos a los osos panda, pronto se extinguirán.

b)

IMPERATIVE +

OR / AND

+ SIMPLE FUTURE

Used for threats and promises (usado para expresar amenazas y

promesas)

Don't say a word

about this, or I will kill you.

No cuentes una palabra de esto o te mato.

Finish your job, and you will have a bonus.

Termina tu tarea y tendrás una gratificación.

c)

IMPERATIVO + IF

/ IN CASE + SIMPLE PRESENT

Contact me if

you need any help.

Ponte en contacto conmigo si necesitas ayuda.

Call them in case you need help.

Llámalos en caso de necesitar ayuda.

NOTE: In cases

a and c above, you can replace IF

(si) by UNLESS (a menos que)

conditional type

II >>

SECOND CONDITIONAL

Used to talk about things which are unreal

(not true or not possible) in the present or the future. It is

generally used for things which don't or won't happen.

It is generally used for things which may happen

(utilizado en presente o futuro para expresar situaciones

hipotéticas, que normalmente son irreales o imposibles).

IF + SIMPLE PAST + SIMPLE CONDITIONAL

If FIRST verb in the sentence is TO BE, WERE is used for all

persons.

(Si el PRIMER verbo de la oración es TO BE, se usa WERE para todas

las personas)

If I were rich, I would buy a

castle.

Si fuera rico, compraría un castillo.

If I were him, I would go and see a doctor.

Si fuera él -en su lugar- consultaría con un médico.

If elephants had wings, they would

be able to fly.

Si los elefantes tuvieran alas, podrían volar.

NOTE: You can

replace IF (si) by UNLESS (a menos que) in the

examples above.

conditional type

III >>

THIRD CONDITIONAL

Used to talk about unreal situations in the

past, that is, things which did not happen in the past.

(utilizado para expresar

situaciones irreales – que nunca sucedieron – en el pasado y, en

general, dentro de un contexto de crítica, queja o remordimiento).

En español tienes una construcción similar por lo cual este

condicional no debería resultar complicado.

IF + PAST PERFECT + CONDITIONAL PERFECT

If FIRST verb in the sentence is TO BE, WERE is used for all

persons.

(Si el PRIMER verbo de la oración es TO BE, se usa WERE para todas

las personas)

If I had known that you were sick,

I would have gone to see you.

Si hubiese sabido que estabas enfermo, te habría ido a ver.

The real situation was that I didn't

know you were sick. So I say If I had known... When you are

talking about the past, you use the Past Perfect (I had known)

after IF.

If you had saved your money,

you could have bought a laptop.

Si hubieses ahorrado tu dinero, podrías haberte comprado una

computadora.

The real situation was that you didn't

save your money. So they say If you had saved... When you are

talking about the past, you use the Past Perfect (I had known)

after IF.

If you hadn't been late for work so

often,

they wouldn't have fired you.

Si no hubieses llegado tarde al trabajo tan seguido, no te habrían

despedido.

The real situation was that you wasn't

early for work. So they say If you hadn't been late... When you are

talking about the past, you use the Past Perfect (I had known)

after IF.

NOTE: You can replace IF (si) by

UNLESS (a menos que) in the examples above.

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