ADVANCED CONDITIONALS

Past Unreal 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, habra pasado el examen)

In this example, there is an implied wish that the speaker had studied.
an implied wish: un deseo implcito; 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: clusula si (que expresa condicin); result clause: clusula 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: habra;

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:
cmo te habras 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: habra 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: imagnate que; you brought: trajiste; co-worker: compaero de trabajo;
at the time: en ese momento; diabetic: diabtico;

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: cmo se ensea la
gramtica; how ordinary people use it: cmo la usa la gente comn;

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: habra sido mejor; if he had never been born:
si nunca hubiese nacido; guardian angel: ngel 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: as que todava piensas que; would make everyone feel
happier: los hara a todos ms felices; I guess you're right: supongo que tienes
razn; it would've been better: habra sido mejor; I said I wish: dije que ojal;

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 cmo; 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 desafo 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 nfasis;

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 slo hubiese sabido; it was the last walk: que era el
ltimo paseo; in the rain: bajo la lluvia; I'd keep you out for hours: te habra
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 est 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: asegrate de haber dominado; before studying: antes de estudiar;
for a simpler lesson on: para una leccin ms 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 estn 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 perdera; like
I know since you've gone: como lo siento desde que te has ido; things would
have been different: las cosas habran sido diferentes; if I only had known: si tan
slo lo hubiese sabido.