Si Clauses
French “If-Then” Clauses
Unlikely Situations
Imperfect - Conditional
• The imperfect - conditional construction is
used to express something that is contrary to
present fact or unlikely to occur (the second
conditional). This is what we have been
looking at in class most recently. You have
just completed a worksheet based on this
form of si clause. The imperfect follows si;
it is the condition that must be met before
the conditional action can take place.
Unlikely Situations
Imperfect - Conditional
• Si j'avais (le temps, je le ferais - If I had time, I would do it.
(imperfect)
(conditional)
• Je le ferais si j'avais le temps - I would do it if I had time.
(conditional) (imperfect)
(Fact: I don't have time, but if I did [contrary to fact], I would do it.)
• Si tu étudiais, tu serais intelligent - If you studied, you would be smart.
(imperfect) (conditional)
• Tu serais intelligent si tu étudiais - You would be smart if you studied.
(conditional)
(imperfect)
(Fact: You don't study, but if you did [unlikely to occur], you would be
smart.)
Likely Situations
• In French, there are also constructions for
expressing likely situations (the first
conditional).
Likely Situations
Present - Present
• This construction is used for things that
happen regularly. Note that the si in these
sentences could probably be replaced by
quand (when) with little or no difference in
meaning.
Likely Situations
Present - Present
• S'il pleut, nous ne sortons pas - If it rains, we don't go out.
Nous ne sortons pas s'il pleut - We don't go out if it rains.
• Si je ne veux pas lire je regarde la télé - If I don't want to
read I watch TV.
Je regarde la télé si je ne veux pas lire - I watch TV if I
don't want to read.
Likely Situations
Present - Future
• The present - future construction is used
for events that are likely to occur. The
present follows si; it is the situation that is
required before the future action can take
place.
Likely Situations
Present - Future
• Si j'ai le temps, je le ferai - If I have time, I will do it.
(present)
(future)
Je le ferai si j'ai le temps - I will do it if I have time.
(future) (present)
• Si tu étudies, tu seras intelligent - If you study, you will be smart.
(present) (future)
Tu seras intelligent si tu étudies - You will be smart if you study.
(future)
(present)
Passé Composé + Present, Future,
or Imperative
• It is also possible to have si clauses with the
passé composé followed by the present,
future, or imperative. These constructions
are basically the same as the others; the
difference is that the condition in the past
rather than the present.
Passé Composé + Present, Future,
or Imperative
• Si tu as fini, tu peux partir - If you have finished, you can leave.
(passé composé) (present)
• Si tu n'as pas fini, tu me le diras - If you haven't finished,
(passé composé)
(future)
[you will] tell me.
• Si tu n'as pas fini, dis-le-moi - If you haven't finished, tell me.
(passé composé)
(imperative - command)
Impossible/Hypothetical Situations
The Pluperfect - Conditional Perfect
• This construction is used to express a
hypothetical situation that is contrary to past
fact (the third conditional). The pluperfect
follows si; it is the event that would have
had to be different in order for the other
event (conditional perfect) to have been
possible.
Impossible/Hypothetical Situations
The Pluperfect - Conditional Perfect
•
Si j'avais eu le temps, je l'aurais fait - If I had had time, I would have done it.
(pluperfect then conditional perfect)
Je l'aurais fait si j'avais eu le temps - I would have done it if I had had time.
(conditional perfect then pluperfect)
(Fact: I didn't have time so I didn't do it)
•
Si tu avais étudié, tu aurais été intelligent - If you had studied, you would have
been smart. (pluperfect then conditional perfect)
Tu aurais été intelligent si tu avais étudié - You would have been smart if you
had studied. (conditional perfect then pluperfect)
(Fact: You didn't study so you weren't smart)
•
See ex. Conditional perfect tense ch 4 Page 13, line 6 “Les Yeux de Carmen”
Et pour finir …..
Use of lorsque, dès, quand and the
future ….
• When the action of the verb after certain constructions* will take place
in the future, the future tense is used in French, whereas in English the
present tense is used.
• Lorsqu’il arrivera, il nous le dira – When he arrives, he’ll tell us
• Nous te donnerons un sandwich dès que nous l’acheterons – We’ll give
you a sandwich as soon as we buy it
*après que (after), aussitôt que (as soon as), dès que (as soon as),
espérer que (to hope that), lorsque (when), quand (when), une fois que
(once)