The Conditional Sentence Georgia Center for Language

The Conditional Sentence ► IF a condition exists, THEN a result can be expected.

Components of the Conditional Sentence ► Conditional clause  The “IF” clause ► If I were you… ► If you had money… ► If she were in charge… ► Result clause  The “THEN” clause ► …(then) I would stay awake. ► …(then) you would buy dinner. ► …(then) she would set things right.

Components of the Conditional Sentence ► Give them my regards if you meet them. ► If you meet them, give them my regards.

Components of the Conditional Sentence ► اذا قابلتهم فسلّم لي عليهم. ► سلّم لي عليهم اذا قابلتهم.

Types of Conditional Sentences ► The Real Conditional  The conditional clause is true or possible ► If you meet them… ► If you arrive late… ► The Unreal Conditional  The conditional clause is not true or impossible ► If I were you… ► If things were different…

Conditional Particles ► إذا  Real conditions  Most commonly used ► إنْ  Real conditions  Least commonly used ► لوْ  Unreal conditions

Tense and the Conditional Sentence ► Real Conditional Sentence  Conditional Clause ► Arabic is in the perfect tense ► Most often translated in the imperfect tense*  Result Clause ► Arabic may be perfect, imperfect, or imperative ► Most often translated in the imperfect or imperative*

Tense and the Conditional Sentence ► Real Conditional Sentences إذا ذهبتَ الى هذا المطعم اكلتَ طعاما عربيا ممتازا. If you go to this restaurant, you will eat excellent Arabic food. إذا ذهبتَ الى هذا المطعم تأكلُ طعاما عربيا ممتازا. If you go to this restaurant, you will eat excellent Arabic food. إذا ذهبتَ الى هذا المطعم فسوف تأكلُ طعاما عربيا ممتازا. If you go to this restaurant, you will eat excellent Arabic food.

Tense and the Conditional Sentence ► Real Conditional Sentences إذا ذهبتَ الى هذا المطعم فَكُلْ طعاما عربيا ممتازا. If you go to this restaurant, eat excellent Arabic food. إذا كان قد ذهبتَ الى هذا المطعم فقد أكلتَ طعاما عربيا ممتازا. If you went to this restaurant, then you ate excellent Arabic food.* *This construct is known as the pluperfect (the perfect past)

presentpresentفَعَلَفَعَلَإذاpresentpresentيَفْعَلُفَعَلَإذا presentpast يكون قد فَعَلَ فَعَلَإذا pastpast كان قد فَعَلَ كان قد فَعَلَإذا presentfuture فسوف يفعل فَعَلَإذا presentfutureفسيفعلفَعَلَإذا presentimperativeفافْعلْفَعَلَإذا

Tense and the Conditional Sentence ► Unreal Conditional Sentence  Conditional Clause ► Arabic is most often in the perfect tense ► Most often understood in the perfect  Result Clause ► Arabic is most often in the perfect tense ► May be understood in the perfect or imperfect ► Typically preceded by لَ or لَما

Tense and the Conditional Sentence ► The Unreal Conditional Sentence لو قرأتَ هذا الكتاب لفهمتَ الموضوع. If you had read this book, you would have understood the matter. لو أعطيتني هذا الكتاب لقرأتُهُ. If you had given me this book, I would have read it.

Negating the Conditional Sentence ► Negating Real Conditional Sentences  Conditional Clause ► Negate by using لم + jussive  Result Clause ► Negate using لم, لا, لن, ليس إذا لم تذهبْ الى هذا المطعم فلن تأكلَ طعاما عربيا ممتازا. If you don ’ t go to this restaurant you will not eat excellent Arabic food.

Negating the Conditional Sentence ► Negating Unreal Conditional Sentences  Conditional Clause ► Negate by using لم + jussive  Result Clause ► Negate by using لَ + ما + perfect لو لم تقرأْ هذا الكتاب لَما فهمتَ الموضوع. If you had not read this book you would not have understood the subject.

The Particle ف ► Introduces result clauses preceding لن, لم ليس, قد, سوف ( س ), إنَّ إذا لم تذهبْ الى هذا المطعم فلن تأكلَ طعاما عربيا ممتازا. إذا كان قد ذهبتَ الى هذا المطعم فقد أكلتَ طعاما عربيا ممتازا.

Mood ► It is important to bear in mind that many of the particles used in conditional sentences change the mood of the verb in the sentence. ► Just as case changes the voweling for nouns, mood changes the voweling for verbs. ► Arabic has three moods: indicative, subjunctive and jussive. Indicative is the default mood. ► A verb will be in the subjunctive if it is preceded by the following particles: ل, كيْ, حتى, كيْلا, أنْ, لأنْ, لنْ, إنْ, ألّا, لئلّا, عسى ► A verb will be in the jussive when it is preceded by لم or it is in the imperative.

Conditional Sentences ► Translate the following into English إذا اقمتَ في الشرق الاوسط فهمت اهمية اللغة العربية. If you live in the M.E. you understand the importance of the Arabic language. إذا ذهبتُ الى بيتهم فسأكلُ معهم. If I go to their house I will eat with them.

Conditional Sentences ► Translate the following into English إن درستَ الكتاب فستنجح في الامتحان. If you study the book you will pass the exam. لو درستَ الكتاب لنجحتَ في الامتحان. If you had studied the book you would have passed the exam.

Conditional Sentences ► Translate the following into English إذا كان قد زار احمد مصر فقد زار الاهرام. If Ahmed visited Egypt, he visited the pyramids. إنْ تعرفْ الموضوع فإنكَ قد درستَهُ من قبل. If you know the subject, then you studied it before.

Conditional Sentences ► Negate the following and translate into English إذا اقمتَ في الشرق الاوسط فهمت اهمية اللغة العربية. إذا لم تَقُمْ في الشرق الاوسط فلا تفهم اهمية اللغة العربية. If you do not live in the M.E. you do not understand the importance of the Arabic language.

Conditional Sentences ► Negate the following and translate into English إذا ذهبتُ الى بيتهم فسأكلُ معهم. إذا لم أذهبْ الى بيتهم فلن أكلَ معهم. If I do not go to their house I will not eat with them.

Conditional Sentences ► Negate the following and translate into English إن درستَ الكتاب فستنجح في الامتحان. إن لم تدرسْ الكتاب فلن تنجحَ في الامتحان. If you don ’ t study the book you won ’ t pass the exam.

Conditional Sentences ► Negate the following and translate into English لو درستَ الكتاب لنجحتَ في الامتحان. لو لم تدرسْ الكتاب لما نجحتَ في الامتحان. If you had not studied the book you would not have passed the test.

Conditional Sentences ► Negate the following and translate into English إذا كان قد زار احمد مصر فقد زار الاهرام. إذا كان لم يزرْ احمد مصر فلم يزرْ الاهرام. If Ahmed did not visit Egypt, he did not visit the pyramids.

Conditional Sentences ► Negate the following and translate into English إنْ تعرفْ الموضوع فإنكَ قد درستَهُ من قبل. إنْ لم تعرفْ الموضوع فإنكَ لم تدرسه من قبل. If you do not know the subject you didn ’ t study it before.

Sources ► All the Arabic You Never Learned the First Time Around by Jim Price ► A Student Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic by Eckehard Schulz