стига да

Provided That

Level 5Sounds Like stiga da

Стига да introduces a condition that is enough: Ще дойда, стига да имам време. (I will come, provided I have time.) Стига само да makes it stronger: this one thing is all that is needed.

How It Works

1. Meaning. Стига да names the only thing needed for the main event. It is close to English provided that or as long as:

  • Можеш да излезеш, стига да се върнеш до десет. (You can go out as long as you are back by ten.)
  • Цената няма значение, стига качеството да е добро. (The price doesn't matter, as long as the quality is good.) The subject can come between стига and да.

2. Stronger with само. Стига само да says that just this one thing is enough: Човек може да постигне всичко, стига само да иска. (A person can achieve anything, as long as they want it.)

3. Negative condition. Put не after да: Ще отидем на разходка, стига да не вали. (We will go for a walk as long as it doesn't rain.)

4. The verb. The verb after да is in the present tense, even when the condition lies in the future. In a sentence about the past it moves into the past: Винаги идваше, стига да имаше време. (He always came, as long as he had time.) As usual after да, a single completed event takes a perfective verb (see свършен вид след да): стига да дойде, стига да се върнеш.

5. Do not confuse. On its own, Стига! means Enough! Stop it!, and стига си говорил means stop talking. In the condition, стига never changes: стига да имам, стига да имаш, стига да имаме.

Examples (6)

  1. Ще дойда, стига да имам време.

    I will come, provided I have time.

  2. Можеш да излезеш, стига да се върнеш до десет.

    You can go out as long as you are back by ten.

    A single completed event, so the perfective върнеш is used after да.

  3. Ще отидем на разходка, стига да не вали.

    We'll go for a walk as long as it doesn't rain.

  4. Човек може да постигне всичко, стига само да иска.

    A person can achieve anything, as long as they really want it.

  5. Вземи колата, стига да я върнеш с пълен резервоар.

    Take the car, as long as you bring it back with a full tank.

  6. Цената няма значение, стига качеството да е добро.

    The price doesn't matter, as long as the quality is good.

    The subject качеството stands between стига and да.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding ще for a future condition.

    Ще дойда, стига да ще имам време.
    Ще дойда, стига да имам време.

    After да the verb stays in the present tense, even when the condition is in the future. Ще is never used after да.

  • Conjugating стига to match the subject.

    Ще дойдем, стигаме да имаме време.
    Ще дойдем, стига да имаме време.

    In this phrase стига is a fixed word. Only the verb after да changes: имаме.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

стига даLevel 5Provided That

Learn This First

Provided that combines conditions and да.

Words in This Pattern