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Sequence of Tenses with "si"

Si is usually only followed by 1) the present tenses 2) the inperfect subjunctive or 3) the  pluperfect subjunctive.

It is only really followed by the future tense in the expression "I wonder if....." eg. I wonder if he will play

me pregunto si jugará.

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It is worth learning the following "formulae" to use the correct tense for the first and second verb:

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si + present indicative + future

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si + imperfect subjunctive + conditional 

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si + pluperfect subjunctive + conditional perfect

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Examples:

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Si mi hermano viene a la fiesta estaré contento *

Si el gobierno cambia esta ley habrá muchas protestas

Si  decides ir  te acompañaré

 

Si mi hermano viniera a la fiesta estaría contento*

Si  fuera (fuese) rico compraría una casa allí

Si no hubiera (hubiese) tantos problemas todo sería más fácil

 

Si mi hermano hubiese (hubiera) venido a la fiesta habrá estado contento*

Si hubieses (hubieras) escuchado mejor habrías tenido éxito

Si hubiesen ido al extranjero   ¡lo habrían pasado bomba!   

 

Note 1:  If you consider the sentences above with the * the tense sequencing is as English

If my brother comes to the party I will be happy (If + present + future)

If my brother were to come to the party I would be happy (If + imperfect subjunctive  + conditional)

If my brother had come to the party I would have been  happy (If + pluperfect  subjunctive + conditional future)

Note2 : with the pluperfect construction the conditional perfect is sometimes replaced with the imperfect subjunctive form of haber

Si hubiese jugado hubiera ganado mucho

Note 3:

The "formula" might be inverted

Future +si + present indicative 

Conditional + Si + imperfect subjunctive 

Conditional perfect + si + pluperfect subjunctive 

Ganaremos si jugamos hoy

Iria verte si me llamaras

Habria acabado si hubiera tenido mas tiempo libre

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Try these exercises:

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