калі in Conditions
Real Conditions with Калі
Калі будзе дождж, мы застанемся дома. (If it rains, we will stay home.) Калі + an ordinary verb gives a real, possible condition.
How It Works
Калі means both when and if. In an if sentence it introduces a condition that may really happen: Калі хочаш, я дапамагу. (If you want, I will help.)
Future conditions. English uses the present after if: If it rains.... Belarusian uses the future, because the rain is in the future: Калі будзе дождж, мы застанемся дома. Калі ты спазнішся, мы пачнём без цябе. (If you are late, we will start without you.) See the perfective future.
Present and past conditions. Use the present or past when that is the real time: Калі ты галодны, у халадзільніку ёсць суп. (If you are hungry, there is soup in the fridge.) Калі ён гэта сказаў, значыць, ведае. (If he said that, he must know.)
То and дык. The main clause may begin with то or дык (then), which makes the link clearer: Калі ты не можаш, дык я пайду сам. (If you can't, then I will go myself.) See дык.
If or when? Only context separates the two meanings. Калі ён прыйдзе, скажы яму. can mean when he comes or if he comes. See time clauses with калі.
Unreal conditions use калі б with the past tense: Калі б быў час, я б паехаў. (If I had time, I would go.)
Not for whether. After ведаць or спытаць, English if means whether, and Belarusian uses ці, not калі.
Examples (6)
- Калі будзе дождж, мы застанемся дома.
If it rains, we will stay home.
Word by Word: If will-be rain, we will-stay at-home.
Будзе is future: literally, if there will be rain.
- Калі хочаш, я дапамагу.
If you want, I will help.
Word by Word: If want, I will-help.
- Калі ты спазнішся, мы пачнём без цябе.
If you are late, we will start without you.
Word by Word: If you will-be-late, we will-start without you.
- Калі ты галодны, у халадзільніку ёсць суп.
If you are hungry, there is soup in the fridge.
Word by Word: If you hungry, in fridge is soup.
- Калі ты не можаш, дык я пайду сам.
If you can't, then I will go myself.
Word by Word: If you not can, then I will-go myself.
- Калі заўтра будзе холадна, апрані шапку.
If it is cold tomorrow, put on a hat.
Word by Word: If tomorrow will-be cold, put-on hat.
Common Mistakes
Using the present tense for a future condition.
Калі заўтра ідзе дождж, мы застанемся дома.Калі заўтра пойдзе дождж, мы застанемся дома.Tomorrow's rain is a future event, so the condition needs the future: пойдзе дождж or будзе дождж. The present sounds like a fixed schedule, which rain cannot have.
Using калі for if when it means whether.
Я не ведаю, калі ён прыйдзе.Я не ведаю, ці ён прыйдзе.The first sentence is correct Belarusian, but it means I don't know when he will come. To say whether he will come, use ці.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Conditions follow time clauses.
Related Patterns
- калі б / каб + Unreal ConditionUnreal Conditions with Калі Б and Каб
Imagined or impossible conditions add б and use the past tense.
Level 4 - дыкThe Particle and Conjunction Дык
Often opens the main clause after a калі condition.
Level 4 - Perfective Future
The future forms used in future conditions.
Level 3 - Indirect Questions with ціIndirect Yes-No Questions with Ці
English if meaning whether is ці, not калі.
Level 3 - пры ўмове, штоOn Condition That
A formal way to state a condition: on condition that.
Level 5
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice калі in Conditions in Bubblegum
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