Spanish B2: If I could: si + imperfect subjunctive · Phrases

For something unlikely or imaginary, si takes the imperfect subjunctive and the other half the conditional: Si tuviera tiempo, viajaría. The imperfect subjunctive comes from the ellos form of the indefinido: tuvieron → tuviera, fueron → fuera, hablaron → hablara. Never the conditional right after si. For something likely: si + present, then present, future or imperative.

• si yo fuera tú — if I were you
• tocar la lotería — to win the lottery
• qué le vamos a hacer — oh well, never mind
• por si acaso — just in case
• si no — otherwise
• aunque — even if, although
• dudar — to hesitate, to doubt
• mudarse — to move (house)

• Si yo fuera tú, no lo dudaría. — If I were you, I wouldn’t hesitate.
• ¿Qué harías si te tocara la lotería? — What would you do if you won the lottery?
• Aunque sea difícil, lo intentaré. — Even if it’s hard, I’ll try.
• Date prisa, si no perderemos el tren. — Hurry up, otherwise we’ll miss the train.