as ... sou
Unreal Conditions: As ... Sou
Imagine with as + was or sou, then answer with sou: As ek ryk was, sou ek 'n huis koop. (If I were rich, I would buy a house.)
How It Works
1. Real or imagined? With as and the present, the condition can really happen: As ek tyd het, sal ek jou help. (If I have time, I will help you.) To show that you are only imagining it, use past forms and sou: As ek tyd gehad het, sou ek jou help. (If I had time, I would help you.)
2. The as-clause. Its verb goes to the end. Most Afrikaans verbs have no simple past, so choose one of these:
- was for to be: As ek ryk was ... (If I were rich ...)
- a past modal: As ek kon ... (If I could ...), As sy wou ... (If she wanted to ...)
- gehad het for to have: As ek meer tyd gehad het ... (If I had more time ...)
- sou + infinitive for any verb: As jy 'n miljoen rand sou wen ... (If you won a million rand ...)
3. The main clause uses sou. Sou takes an infinitive at the end: ... sou ek 'n huis koop. When the as-clause comes first, it fills first place, so the main clause starts with sou (see subordinate clause first): As ek jy was, sou ek gaan.
4. The main clause can also come first. Then it keeps normal order: Ek sou graag kom as ek kon. (I would gladly come if I could.)
5. If I were you. Afrikaans says As ek jy was. Use jy, not jou, and put was at the end.
Tip: For something in the past that did not happen, both halves get a ge- form and het. See unreal past conditions.
Examples (6)
- As ek ryk was, sou ek 'n huis koop.
If I were rich, I would buy a house.
Word by Word: If I rich was, would I a house buy.
- As ek jy was, sou ek gaan.
If I were you, I would go.
Word by Word: If I you was, would I go.
- As ek meer tyd gehad het, sou ek Frans leer.
If I had more time, I would learn French.
Word by Word: If I more time had have, would I French learn.
Gehad het gives the past of het in the as-clause.
- As jy 'n miljoen rand sou wen, wat sou jy doen?
If you won a million rand, what would you do?
Word by Word: If you a million rand would win, what would you do?
Sou + infinitive works for any verb in the as-clause.
- Ek sou graag kom as ek kon.
I would gladly come if I could.
Word by Word: I would gladly come if I could.
The main clause comes first here, so it keeps normal word order.
- As sy wou, sou sy die werk kry.
If she wanted to, she would get the job.
Word by Word: If she wanted, would she the job get.
Common Mistakes
Starting the main clause with the subject after the as-clause.
As ek ryk was, ek sou 'n huis koop.As ek ryk was, sou ek 'n huis koop.The as-clause fills first place, so sou must come next and the subject follows it.
Using sal in the main clause of an imagined situation.
As ek ryk was, sal ek 'n huis koop.As ek ryk was, sou ek 'n huis koop.Sal belongs to real conditions, such as As ek tyd het, sal ek help. An imagined condition with was needs sou.
Using the present is in an imagined as-clause.
As ek jy is, sou ek gaan.As ek jy was, sou ek gaan.I cannot really be you, so the as-clause needs the past form was.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Imagined conditions combine conditional clauses and sou with the relevant past forms and clause-fronting pattern.
- as (If)If and When: As
The ordinary as condition provides the comparison with an imagined condition.
Level 2 - souWould: Sou
Sou plus an infinitive expresses the imagined result and can also occur in the condition.
Level 2 - wasWas: The Past of Is
Was supplies the past form of wees used for an imagined state.
Level 2 - het ... gehadHad: Het ... Gehad
The past form of hê supplies gehad het in an imagined possession condition.
Level 2 - kon/moes/wouModals in the Past
The past modal forms supply alternatives such as kon and wou in an imagined condition.
Level 2 - Starting With a Subordinate Clause
A fronted condition is followed by the main-clause verb and then its subject.
Level 3
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice as ... sou in Bubblegum
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