Spanish Conditional Sentences Summary

All three if-clause types side by side. Real, hypothetical and impossible conditions in one reference.

The three types at a glance

TypeSi + ...ResultWhen to use
Type 1
Real
Present indicative
Si llueve...
Present / Future / Command
...no vamos / no iremos / quédate
Possible, could happen
Type 2
Hypothetical
Imperfect subjunctive
Si lloviera...
Conditional
...no iríamos
Unlikely, unreal present
Type 3
Impossible
Pluperfect subjunctive
Si hubiera llovido...
Conditional perfect
...no habríamos ido
Impossible, unreal past

Type 1: Real / Possible

Something that can realistically happen

Si llueve, no vamos. (If it rains, we don't go.)
Si estudias, aprobarás. (If you study, you'll pass.)
Si tienes hambre, come algo. (If you're hungry, eat something.)
Si no vienes, avísame. (If you're not coming, let me know.)

Type 2: Hypothetical / Unlikely

Imagining something that isn't real right now

Si tuviera dinero, viajaría. (If I had money, I'd travel.)
Si hablara español, conseguiría el trabajo. (If I spoke Spanish, I'd get the job.)
Si fuera tú, estudiaría más. (If I were you, I'd study more.)
Si pudiera, te ayudaría. (If I could, I'd help you.)

Type 3: Impossible / Past regrets

Imagining a different past (can't change it now)

Si hubiera estudiado, habría aprobado. (If I had studied, I would have passed.)
Si hubieras venido, te habrías divertido. (If you had come, you'd have had fun.)
Si lo hubiera sabido, no habría ido. (If I had known, I wouldn't have gone.)

The golden rule: NEVER put conditional or future after SI

These are ALWAYS wrong:

Si tendré tiempo... ✗ → Si tengo tiempo... ✓
Si tendría dinero... ✗ → Si tuviera dinero... ✓
Si habría sabido... ✗ → Si hubiera sabido... ✓
The conditional/future goes in the RESULT clause, never after si.

Mixed types (common in real speech)

Past condition → present result

Si hubiera estudiado medicina, ahora sería médico. (If I had studied medicine, I'd be a doctor now.)
Si no hubiera llovido, la planta estaría muerta. (If it hadn't rained, the plant would be dead.)

Common alternatives to "si"

ExpressionMeaningExample
De + infinitiveIf (formal/literary)De haberlo sabido, no habría ido.
En caso de queIn case (+ subjunctive)En caso de que llueva, lleva paraguas.
A menos queUnless (+ subjunctive)Voy a menos que llueva.
Con tal de queAs long as (+ subjunctive)Iré con tal de que vengas.

Quick quiz

1. Type 1: Si _____ (llover), no vamos. (real)

2. Type 2: Si _____ (tener) dinero, viajaría. (hypothetical)

3. Type 3: Si _____ estudiado, habría aprobado. (impossible past)

4. "Si tendría dinero" is _____.

5. Si estudias, _____ (aprobar — future).

6. Si pudiera, te _____. (I would help)

7. De haberlo sabido = Si lo _____ sabido.

8. En caso de que llueva = _____ it rains.

9. Mixed: Si hubiera estudiado, ahora _____ médico.

10. The conditional NEVER goes after _____.

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