Zero, first, second, and third conditionals

English conditionals are sentences that we use to express possible, hypothetical, or unreal situations. They are essential in conversation, writing, and language comprehension.

Los condicionales en inglés son oraciones que usamos para expresar situaciones posibles, hipotéticas o irreales. Son esenciales en conversaciones, escritura, y comprensión del idioma.

Conditionals are sentences with two parts:

1. The “if” clause (la condición)
2. The main clause (el resultado)

Example:

If you study, you will pass the test.
Si estudias, aprobarás el examen.

They express conditions: real, possible, unlikely, or imaginary.

Zero Conditional

📘Use: For facts, laws of nature, routines.
📘Uso: Hechos, verdades generales o hábitos.

📌 Structure:
If + present simple, present simple

✅ Examples:

• If you mix yellow and blue, you get green.
• Si mezclas amarillo y azul, obtienes verde.
• If people don’t drink water, they die.
• Si las personas no toman agua, mueren.
• If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
• Si calientas el agua a 100°C, hierve.

The ‘if’ in this conditional can usually be replaced by ‘when’ without changing the meaning.

✅ Examples:

• When you mix yellow and blue, you get green.
• When people don’t drink water, they die.

First Conditional

📘 Use: Real future possibilities.
📘 Uso: Posibilidades reales en el futuro.

📌 Structure:
If + present simple, will + base verb

✅ Examples:

• If she studies, she will pass.
• Si ella estudia, aprobará.
• If it rains, we will cancel the trip.
• Si llueve, cancelaremos el viaje.

🎯 Tip: Puedes usar otros modales como can, might, should:

• If I finish early, I might go to the gym.

Second Conditional

📘 Use: Unreal or imaginary situations.
📘 Uso: Situaciones irreales o hipotéticas en el presente o futuro.

📌 Structure:
If + past simple, would + base verb

✅ Examples:

• If I were rich, I would buy a house.
• Si fuera rico, compraría una casa.
• If we had a car, we would drive to the beach.
• Si tuviéramos coche, iríamos a la playa.

🗣️ Note: Usa «were» con I/he/she.

• If I were you… ✅
  (Not: If I was you ❌)

Third Conditional

📘 Use: Regret or imagining a different past.
📘 Uso: Para expresar arrepentimiento o imaginar un pasado distinto.

📌 Structure:
If + past perfect, would have + past participle

✅ Examples:

• If I had left earlier, I would have arrived on time.
• Si hubiera salido antes, habría llegado a tiempo.
• If she had studied, she would have passed.
• Si ella hubiera estudiado, habría aprobado.

🎯 Tip: También puedes usar could have / might have

• If you had tried harder, you might have succeeded.

❌ If I will go, I will call you.
✅ If I go, I will call you.

❌ If she would have studied, she would have passed.
✅ If she had studied, she would have passed.

❌ If I would be rich, I would travel.
✅ If I were rich, I would travel.

🎯 Regla de oro: Nunca uses “will” en la parte del “if”.

🗣️ Pronunciation Tips | Consejos de pronunciación

• Linking: “If I were you” → /ɪfaɪ wɜr ju/
• Contractions:
  • would = ’d → I’d go, you’d win
  • had = ’d → I’d studied = I had studied (¡el contexto importa!)

✍️ Practice Exercises

A. Complete with the correct conditional:

1. If I ___ (have) more time, I would read more.
2. If she studies hard, she ___ (pass) the test.
3. If you ___ (heat) water, it boils.
4. If they had listened, they ___ (not fail).
5. If I ___ (be) taller, I would play basketball.

B. Rewrite the sentences using conditionals:

1. I didn’t study. I failed the test.
   → If I had studied, ______________________
2. It’s raining. We won’t go out.
   → If it weren’t raining, __________________
3. He isn’t rich. He doesn’t travel a lot.
   → If he were rich, _______________________

✅ Answers:

Exercise A:

1. had
2. will pass
3. heat
4. wouldn’t have failed
5. were

Exercise B:

1. I would have passed the test.
2. We would go out.
3. He would travel a lot.

🧾 Mini Study Guide | Guía rápida para repasar

💡 Recuerda: cuanto más practiques, más natural será su uso.

🧠 Final Thoughts

Los condicionales no son tan complicados si los estudias paso a paso. Con práctica diaria, reconocerás fácilmente qué tipo usar en cada situación.

✨ Consejo: Aprende un tipo por semana, escribe ejemplos, y habla en voz alta. Así desarrollarás fluidez rápidamente.