LANGUAGE: Grammar (6)

The Second Conditional: Unlikely Situations / El Segon Condicional: Situacions Improbables / El Segundo Condicional: Situaciones Improbables

1. Structure / Estructura / Estructura

The second conditional is formed using two parts: the “if” clause and the main clause / El segon condicional es forma amb dues parts: la clàusula amb “if” i la clàusula principal / El segundo condicional se forma con dos partes: la cláusula con “if” y la cláusula principal.

• If + Past Simple / Pasat Simple / Pasado Simple * + Main Clause: Would + Infinitive (without “to”) / Clàusula principal: Would + Infinitiu / Cláusula principal: Would + Infinitiy.

• If I had a lot of money, I’d travel around the world.

• If he got up earlier, he wouldn’t be late for work.

• If you didn’t pass the exam, would you take it again?

2. Usage / Ús / Uso

We use this construction to talk about hypothetical present or future situations / Utilitzem aquesta construcció per parlar de situacions hipotètiques presents o futures / Utilizamos esta construcción para hablar de situaciones hipotéticas presentes o futuras.

• Hypothetical scenarios / Escenaris hipotètics / Escenarios hipotéticos:

  • If I had a lot of money, I’d travel around the world. (But I don’t have it / Però no en tinc / Pero no lo tengo.)

  • If I didn’t feel so tired, I’d come out with you. (But I am tired / Però estic cansat / Pero estoy cansado.)

  • If the weather was nice, I’d go to the beach. (But it’s not nice / Però no fa bon temps / Pero no hace buen tiempo.)

• Unlikely situations / Situacions poc probables / Situaciones poco probables:

  • If she really loved you, she wouldn’t be so horrible to you.

  • If I won a lot of money, I’d take a long holiday.

3. Important Grammar Notes / Notes gramaticals importants / Notas gramaticales importantes

• Non-past meaning / Significat no passat / Significado no pasado: In these sentences, past forms like had or loved do not refer to the past; they indicate a hypothetical present or future / En aquestes frases, les formes de passat no tenen un significat temporal de passat; indiquen un present o futur hipotètic / En estas frases, las formas de pasado no tienen un significado temporal de pasado; indican un presente o futuro hipotético.

• Subjunctive translation / Traducció al subjuntiu / Traducción al subjuntivo:

  The Past Simple in the “if” clause corresponds to the Imperfect Subjunctive in Catalan and Spanish / El Passat Simple en la clàusula condicional correspon al Pretèrit Imperfecte de Subjuntiu en català i castellà / El Pasado Simple en la oración condicional corresponde al Pretérito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo en catalán y castellano.

  • If I had… (Si tingués… / Si tuviera…)

  • If the weather was… (Si el temps fos… / Si el tiempo fuera…)

• The use of “Were” / L’ús de “Were” / El uso de “Were”:

  In formal styles, were is often used instead of was after if for all persons / En estils formals, sovint s’utilitza were en lloc de was després de if per a totes les persones / En estilos formales, a menudo se emplea were en lugar de was detrás de if para todas las personas.

  • If the weather were nice, I’d go to the beach.

  • That watch wouldn’t be so cheap if it were really made of gold.

• Giving Advice / Donar consells / Dar consejos:

  We use If I were you to give advice and If you were me to ask for it / Utilitzem If I were you per donar consells i If you were me per demanar-ne / Utilizamos If I were you para dar consejos e If you were me para pedirlos.

  • If I were you, I’d apply for the job.

  • What would you do if you were me?

4. Other Modal Verbs / Altres verbs modals / Otros verbos modales

In the main clause, you can use might or could instead of would to change the level of certainty or ability / A la clàusula principal, es poden utilitzar might o could en lloc de would per canviar el grau de certesa o capacitat / En la oración principal, se pueden usar might o could en lugar de would para cambiar el grado de certeza o capacidad.

• Might (Probability) / Might (Probabilitat) / Might (Probabilidad):

  • If I won a lot of money, I might stop working. (Maybe I would stop / Potser deixaria de treballar / Quizás dejaría de trabajar.)

• Could (Ability) / Could (Capacitat) / Could (Capacidad):

  • I could repair the car if I had the right tools. (I would be able to / Podria arreglar el cotxe / Podría arreglar el coche.)