Exercise 34: Conditional sentences
A: si/nisi + indicative (‘open conditions’)
Translate as normal, though note the Latin idiom in A (‘open’) conditionals in the future e.g.
si hoc facies/feceris, peccabis = If you do this you will do wrong.
Here English uses the present tense in the ‘if’ clause, Latin uses future/future perfect indicative; until you are familiar with this usage you may translate literally.
B: si/nisi + subjunctive (‘closed conditions’)
i) si + pluperfect subjunctive in both parts of sentence
si umquam ( = ever) me amavisses, non haec fecisses.
If you had ever loved me you would not have done this.
ii) si + imperfect subjunctive in both parts
si me amares, nunc me adiuvares.
If you loved me you would help me now.
iii) si + present subjunctive in both parts
si haec dicas, non credamus.
If you should say this, we would not believe.
iv) You may also come across ‘mixed conditionals’ (i + ii) e.g.
si me umquam amavisses, nunc me adiuvares.
If you had ever loved me, you would help me now.
Note: You may translate the subjunctive in the si/nisi part of B.i ii and iv as English indicatives.
