grammar.clauses.si-hypothetical
Unreal present: si tuviera, haría
Contrary-to-fact or unlikely conditions: si + imperfect subjunctive + conditional: si tuviera plata, compraría en Equipetrol.
grammarB2✓ Reviewedv0.1.0
Explanation
For conditions that are contrary to fact or unlikely in the present, Spanish uses si + imperfect subjunctive in the if-clause and the conditional in the main clause: si tuviera plata, compraría una casa; si viviera más cerca, vendría caminando.
The pairing is fixed — imperfect subjunctive with conditional: si pudiera, te ayudaría; si fuera vos, esperaría. This frames the situation as imagined rather than expected.
Crucially, never put the conditional inside the si-clause: *si tendría, *si podría are widespread in casual/regional speech but non-standard — keep tuviera/pudiera there. The connector como si ('as if') always takes the imperfect (or pluperfect) subjunctive: habla como si supiera, gasta como si fuera millonario.
Examples
If I were you, I'd wait.
Region: global
He spends as if he were a millionaire.
Region: global
If we had more time, we'd do it better.