Si Clauses - Imparfait + Conditionnel

This structure works like a two-part bridge. The first part sets the scene. It uses the word si, which means "if." The second part describes the result. It tells us what would happen next. We call these the "if-clause" and the "result-clause." One cannot exist without the other in this context. You are creating a hypothetical world. It is like a computer program: "If X happened, then Y would happen." However, X is not currently true. For example, if you had a private jet, you would fly to Japan. You don't have a jet, so you aren't flying. The grammar reflects this distance from reality. It feels a bit like magic. You change the present by changing the conditions. It’s the ultimate way to play "pretend" in French.

1. 1Building these sentences is like following a recipe. You need two specific tenses. Follow these steps to get it right:
2. 2Start with the word si to begin your hypothesis.
3. 3Use the Imparfait for the verb right after si.
4. 4This creates the condition or the imaginary situation.
5. 5For the second part, use the Conditionnel Présent.
6. 6This describes the imaginary result of your condition.
7. 7You can also flip the order of the two parts.
8. 8If you start with the result, you don't need a comma.
9. 9Si + Imparfait + Conditionnel
10. 10Si j'avais le temps, je lirais plus.
11. 11(If I had the time, I would read more.)
12. 12Remember that the Imparfait follows si like a loyal puppy. The Conditionnel stays in the result section. Think of it as a strict seating plan at a wedding.

You will find this pattern in many daily situations. Use it when you are daydreaming about the future. Maybe you are planning a trip you can't afford yet. It is also perfect for giving polite advice. Instead of telling someone what to do, say "If I were you..." This sounds much softer and kinder. Use it in job interviews to show potential. "If I got this job, I would work hard." It helps you express regrets about the present too. "If I spoke better French, I would talk to my neighbors." Use it when ordering food if you want to be extra fancy. "If you had the fish, I would take it." (Though a simple conditionnel is more common there). It’s also great for hypothetical science questions. "What would happen if the sun turned blue?"

Don't use this for things that are likely to happen. If you are 90% sure about something, use si + present. For example: "If it rains, I will take an umbrella." That is a real possibility. Our pattern today is for the 10% or the 0%. Do not use it for past regrets either. If you missed your train yesterday, that’s a different rule. You would need the plus-que-parfait for that. This pattern is strictly for the "unreal present" or "unreal future." Also, avoid using it for simple habits. If you always buy bread when you are hungry, use the present. This grammar is for the special, the imaginary, and the "what if."

The most famous mistake involves the word si. French children learn a funny rhyme to avoid this. "Les si n'aiment pas les -rais." This means you never put the conditionnel after si. Many learners say Si je serais instead of Si j'étais. This sounds like nails on a chalkboard to French ears. Always keep the -rais ending for the result clause only. Another mistake is mixing up the Imparfait endings. Remember, the si part needs that steady "was/were" feeling. Don't forget the "i" in the nous and vous forms. Si nous avions is correct, not Si nous avons. Also, watch out for irregular stems in the conditionnel. They are the same as the future stems. If you forget them, your sentence will fall apart like a bad crepe.

Let's compare this to the "First Conditional." The first one is about reality: Si + Present -> Future. "If I eat this, I will be full." This is a cause and effect you expect. Our "Second Conditional" is about dreams: Si + Imparfait -> Conditionnel. "If I ate a cloud, I would taste sugar." See the difference? One is a grocery list; the other is a poem. There is also the "Third Conditional" for the past. That one is for things that already happened and can't change. It's the "I should have" of grammar. Our pattern is the sweet spot in the middle. It’s the playground of the mind. It’s where you are the hero of your own imaginary story.