ADVANCED CONDITIONALS
This week, we are going to
talk about the
past unreal conditional.
Past unreal
conditionals are often used
to express wishes
about the past. They
often show regret,
or sad feelings
about something that happened
in the past. Here's an
example:
past unreal conditional: condicional irreal en pasado; regret:
arrepentimiento; sad feelings: sentimientos de pena o lamento;
If I had
studied, I would have
passed the test.
(Si yo
hubiese estudiado, habría pasado el examen)
In this example,
there is an implied wish
that the speaker had studied.
an implied
wish: un deseo implícito; that the speaker: de que el orador;
A conditional
sentence has two
parts. The first part is
the if clause:
"If I had studied." The
second part is the
result clause: "I
would have passed
the test."
if
clause: cláusula si (que expresa condición); result clause:
cláusula de resultado;
To form the
past unreal conditional,
use the past
perfect in
the if clause.
Use had
followed by a past participle verb
to form the past
perfect. In the result clause,
use would have
followed by the past
participle.
to form:
para formar; had: hubiera o hubiese; would have: habría;
Use past
unreal conditionals to
talk about how
you would have
acted differently
if you had had more
information. Basically,
if I had
known A, I would
have done B.
use: utiliza; to talk about: para hablar (acerca) de; how you
would have acted: cómo te habrías comportado; differently: de modo
diferente; if you had had: si hubieras o hubieses tenido; if I had
known A: Si yo hubiese sabido A; I would have done B: habría hecho B;
Imagine you
brought chocolate for a co-worker.
You didn't know
it at the time, but your
co-worker was diabetic. In this
situation, you
could say, "If I had
known you were
diabetic, I would not
have brought
chocolate."
imagine:
imagínate que; you brought: trajiste; co-worker: compañero de
trabajo; at the time: en ese momento; diabetic: diabético;
Some
Americans use the simple
past in the if clause
of a past unreal
conditional. For example, there's
an old song called,
"If I knew you
were coming, I'd
have baked a cake." In
formal speech or
writing the correct form
is, "If I had known
you were coming,
I would have baked
a cake." There is
often a difference between
how grammar is
taught and how ordinary
people use it in
conversation.
if I "knew" you were coming: si "supiera" que ibas a venir (formato
incorrecto de uso informal); if I "had known" you were coming: si
"hubiese sabido" que ibas a venir (formato correcto de uso formal); how
grammar is taught: cómo se enseña la gramática; how ordinary people use
it: cómo la usa la gente común;
A conditional
sentence can start
with the if clause,
or the result clause.
In the classic American
film It's a Wonderful Life,
the main character
George Bailey is thinking
about killing
himself. In a moment of sadness,
George says that
life would have been
better if he had
never been born. Listen to
this dialog between
George and his guardian
angel, Clarence.
main character: protagonista; about killing himself: en suicidarse;
sadness: tristeza; would have been better: habría sido mejor; if
he had never been born: si nunca hubiese nacido; guardian angel:
ángel de la guarda;
Clarence:
So you still
think killing
yourself would make
everyone feel
happier, right?
George:
Well I don't know. I
guess you're
right. I supposed it
would've been
better if I'd never been
born at all.
Clarence:
What did you
say?
George: I
said I wish I'd never
been born.
so you
still think: así que todavía piensas que; would make everyone feel
happier: los haría a todos más felices; I guess you're right: supongo
que tienes razón; it would've been better: habría sido mejor; I said I
wish: dije que ojalá;
Notice how
George puts the
result
clause first when
he says, "I suppose it
would have been
better if I had never been
born." George also
shortens "would
have" to "would've" and "I
had" to "I'd." Native speakers
often use
contractions with the words
"had" and "have." That means a
past unreal
conditional will often have
two contractions in it – an
extra challenge for
English learners.
notice how:
observa cómo; shortens: acorta, contrae; would've: would have;
I'd: I had; native speakers: los hablantes nativos; that means:
eso significa que; will often have two contractions: tiene normalmente
dos contracciones; an extra challenge: un desafío adicional;
Sometimes
speakers want to express
how something that
did not happen in the past
has an effect in the present. For
example, "If I had been
born in China, I
would speak Chinese." Or "If
had quit university, I
would not have this
job." These are
called mixed conditionals.
In a mixed conditional, the
if
clause remains in the
past perfect. But the
result clause
changes to the simple present
to emphasis the effect in the
present.
has an effect: repercute; if I had quit: si hubiese abandonado (la);
mixed conditionals: condicionales mixtos; remains: permanece;
changes to the simple present: cambia a presente simple; to emphasis:
para aplicar énfasis;
To emphasize a
feeling of regret,
add "only" to the if clause.
Listen to this sad
song by country singer
Reba McEntire.
to emphasize: para enfatizar, para resaltar; a feeling of regret: un
sentimiento de arrepentimiento; add: agrega;
"If I had
only known it was the last
walk in the rain,
I'd keep
you out for hours in the storm."
if I had only known: si tan sólo hubiese sabido; it was the last walk:
que era el último paseo; in the rain: bajo la lluvia; I'd keep you out
for hours: te habría mantenido durante horas; in the storm: en la
tormenta;
This song is an
example of a mixed
conditional. The if clause
"If I had only
known it was the last walk
in the rain" is in the past
perfect. But the result
clause, "I'd keep
you out for hours in the storm"
is in the simple present. The
singer is emphasizing
her present
feelings about something
that did not happen in the
past.
the singer is
emphasizing: la cantante está enfatizando;
Past unreal
conditionals are complex
grammar structures.
Make sure you
have mastered the
past perfect, the present
perfect, and irregular
verbs before
studying advanced conditionals.
For a simpler lesson on
conditionals, see
our previous episode of
Everyday Grammar
called "Introducing
Conditionals" (OM News # 378).
complex grammar structures: estructuras gramaticales complejas; make sure
you have mastered: asegúrate de haber dominado; before studying:
antes de estudiar; for a simpler lesson on: para una lección más simple
sobre;
When you
are ready, a good
way to practice past
unreal conditionals is to
ask your English-speaking
friends if they
have any regrets.
You could ask
"If you could
change something
about your past,
what would you
change?"
ready:
preparado/a; a good way to practice: una buena forma de practicar; if
they have any regrets: si están arrepentidos de algo; if you could change:
si pudieras cambiar; something about your past: algo de tu pasado;
We'll leave
you now with
another song of
regret by Brook Benton:
we'll leave you now: te dejamos ahora;
Darling if
I had known I'd miss
you
like I know
since you've
gone
things
would have been different
if only
I had known...
darling if I had known I'd miss
you: querida si hubiese sabido que te perdería; like I know since you've
gone: como lo siento desde que te has ido; things would have been
different: las cosas habrían sido diferentes; if I only had known: si
tan sólo lo hubiese sabido. |