Spanish if-Clauses

Spanish if-Clauses

The present subjunctive is never used in si-clauses. Very much like English, either some Indicative tense or the Past Subjunctive will be used according to how likely the event is perceived.

A. USE THE INDICATIVE:
• For events likely to take place:
Si suben el precio, no lo compraremos. If the price is raised, we won't buy it.
No tienes que hacerlo si no hay tiempo. You don't have to do it if there's no time.
No sé si él está en casa o no. I don't know if (whether) he is home or not.

• After por si (acaso)... just in case:
Traigo paraguas por si acaso (llueve). I'm bringing an umbrella just in case (it rains).
Llevó el celular por si se perdía. He took his cell phone in case he got lost.

B. USE THE PAST SUBJUNCTIVE:
• For unlikely or contrary-to-fact events, the si-clause is in the past subjunctive, and the result clause in the conditional:
Si tuviera un millón de dólares, sería rico. If he had a million dollars, he'd be rich.
No haría eso si fuera tú. I wouldn't do that if I were you.

• After como si... as if:
Me trataba como si yo fuera una niña. He treated me as if I were a child.
Siempre actúa como si no pasara nada. She always acts as if nothing were the matter.

• After ojalá and aunque, when they refer to conditions contrary to fact:
Ojalá hubiera paz en este planeta. If only there were peace on this planet.
Iría a la playa aunque nevara en verano. I'd go to the beach even if it snowed in summer.

• When whether...or (not) conveys hypotheses, Spanish uses subjunctive constructions (not si-clauses):
We'll get married whether they like it or not. Nos casaremos (sea que) les guste o no.