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In this week's episode of
Everyday Grammar, we are
going to talk
about conditionals.
We use conditionals to
show that something is
true only when
something else is
true. Conditionals offer
endless possibilities for
creative and imaginative
expression.
to show that: para
demostrar que; true: verdadero, cierto; something else: algo
más, alguna otra cosa; offer endless: ofrecen ilimitadas; for creative
and imaginative expression: para la expresión creativa e innovadora;
PRESENT REAL CONDITIONAL
The present
real conditional is the most
basic
kind of conditional.
Basically, when A happens, B happens.
present real conditional: condicional real en presente; the most basic
kind: el tipo más básico o elemental; when A happens, B happens:
cuando ocurre una situación A, ocurre una situación B;
Here's an
example of a present real
conditional:
"If it
rains, I bring an umbrella."
if
it rains, I bring an umbrella: si llueve, llevo un paraguas (el verbo
bring puede usarse con el sentido de traer pero también de llevar);
Conditionals
have two parts:
the if
clause: "if
it rains," and the result
clause: "I
bring an umbrella." You
could also say
"I bring an umbrella
if it rains."
result clause:
cláusula de resultado;
Poets and
songwriters often use
conditionals in their
work. Listen for the
present real
conditional in this song by
American songwriter Bob
Dylan.
poets
and songwriters: los poetas y los compositores de canciones; often use:
utilizan con frecuencia;
"If you
see her, say
hello.
She might be in
Tangier"
might be in: podría encontrarse en; Tangier: Tánger (ciudad en
Marruecos);
Notice that the
verbs
see and
say are both in
the present tense
for the present real
conditional.
notice:
presta atención; are both: están ambos;
PRESENT UNREAL CONDITIONAL
The next
conditional that we're going
to talk about is the
present
unreal
conditional. Use the
present unreal
conditional to talk about
what you would
do in an unreal, or
imaginary situation. If
A happened, B would happen.
present unreal conditional: condicional irreal en presente; about what
you would do: acerca de lo que harías; imaginary situation: situación
imaginaria o ficticia; if A happened, B would happen: si ocurriese una
situación A, ocurriría una situación B;
For
example, "If I
were you, I would
take the job." The
key word is would;
it makes the
conditional unreal.
Would can
only be used in the
result clause of the sentence.
Here's an example from
American singer
Johnny Cash.
if I were you:
si yo estuviera en tu lugar; I would take the job: aceptaría el empleo
(trabajo); key word: palabra clave; it makes ... unreal: convierte
... en irreal;
"If I were
a carpenter
And you
were a lady
Would you
marry me anyway?
Would you
have my baby?"
If I
were a carpenter: si yo fuera carpintero (pero no lo soy, por eso se utiliza
were en lugar de was); would you marry me anyway?: ¿te
casarías conmigo de todos modos?; would you have my baby?: ¿tendrías a mi
bebé?;
To form a
present unreal conditional,
use a simple past
verb in the
if
clause. In the result
clause, use would
followed by a simple
present verb.
to form: para formar, crear;
Use the
verb were
for all nouns in the if
clause of the sentence. For
example, "If she were
an animal, she would be a
cat." In informal
speech, people might
say, "If she was
an animal, she
would be a cat." But
you should avoid
this in formal writing.
if she
was an animal: si ella fuese animal (usar was en lugar de were
en la conversación informal puede ser aceptable); you should avoid this in
formal writing: deberías evitarlo en la escritura formal;
FUTURE REAL CONDITIONAL
Now let's
talk about the
future real conditional.
If A
happens, B will happen.
To make a future
real conditional, use
will in the result
clause.
future
real conditional: condicional real en futuro; if A happens, B will happen:
si ocurre una situación A, ocurrirá una situación B;
For example, "If
your plane is late,
I will wait
in the car." Use the
future real
conditional to talk about
possible situations in the
future.
if
your plane is late: si tu vuelo se demora; I will wait: esperaré;
Speakers
sometimes use the future
real conditional to
threaten others.
to
threaten others: para amenazar a terceras personas;
Listen to actor Liam
Neeson in the 2013 movie
Taken.
In this scene of the movie,
Neeson's character is on the
phone threatening the
man who kidnapped
his daughter.
"Taken":
"Búsqueda Implacable" (Hispanoamérica) o "Venganza" (España); character:
personaje; on the phone: al teléfono; threatening: amenzando a;
kidnapped: secuestró a; daughter: hija;
"If you
let my daughter
go now, that'll be the
end of it. I will not look for
you. I will not pursue
you. But if you
don't, I will look for
you, I will find
you, and I will kill you."
if you
let my daughter go now: si liberas ahora a mi hija; I will not look for
you: no te buscaré; I will not pursue you: no te perseguiré; but
if you don't: pero si no lo haces; I will find you: te encontraré;
I will kill you: te mataré;
This is only a
quick introduction to
conditionals. In a future
episode of Everyday
Grammar, we will talk
about past and
mixed conditionals. Until
then, we will leave
you with country
music stars Johnny
Cash and June
Carter.
quick:
rápida, ligera; past and mixed conditionals: condicionales en pasado y
combinados; country music stars: estrellas de la música "country" o de
vaqueros;
"If you
were a carpenter
And I were a
lady
I'd marry
you anyway
I'd have
your baby"
If
you were a carpenter: si fueras carpintero; I'd (I would) marry you
anyway: me casaría contigo de todos modos; I'd (I would) have your baby:
tendría a tu bebé.
I'm Jonathan
Evans. |
