Unreal Past Conditions

Level 5

Both parts look back at the past, and the speaker knows that the condition was not met.

How It Works

PartFormExample
the اگر partpast perfectاگر زودتر رسیده بودم
the resultمی‌ + past stemبا شما چای می‌خوردم

The past perfect is the past participle plus بود: رسیده بودم, رسیده بودی, رسیده بود. In the negative, نـ goes on the participle: نرسیده بودم, نباریده بود.

Compare the three kinds of condition:

  • real: اگر زودتر برسم، چای می‌خورم. (If I arrive early, I'll have tea.)
  • not true now: اگر وقت داشتم، می‌آمدم. (If I had time, I would come.)
  • not true in the past: اگر وقت داشته بودم، می‌آمدم. (If I had had time, I would have come.)

Put the اگر part first or last. Both orders are correct: او را می‌دیدی، اگر زودتر آمده بودی.

The perfect subjunctive, as in آمده باشی, names a real possibility. It cannot take the place of the past perfect in an unreal condition.

Use this form to explain why something did not happen, or to look back at a chance that was missed.

Examples (5)

  1. اگر دیروز باران نباریده بود، به میله می‌رفتیم.

    If it had not rained yesterday, we would have gone on a picnic.

    نباریده بود is the negative past perfect, and می‌رفتیم is the result.

  2. اگر زودتر رسیده بودم، با شما چای می‌خوردم.

    If I had arrived earlier, I would have had tea with you.

    رسیده بودم names the condition that was not met.

  3. اگر به او زنگ زده بودی، حتماً می‌آمد.

    If you had called him, he would surely have come.

    The result می‌آمد says what would have followed.

  4. اگر این نامه را خوانده بودی، می‌دانستی که فردا رخصتی است.

    If you had read this letter, you would have known that tomorrow is a holiday.

    خوانده بودی is the past perfect, and می‌دانستی is the result.

  5. اگر پول کافی داشته بودم، آن موتر را می‌خریدم.

    If I had had enough money, I would have bought that car.

    داشته بودم is the past perfect of داشتن.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the perfect subjunctive for a condition that was not met.

    اگر زودتر آمده باشی، او را می‌دیدی.
    اگر زودتر آمده بودی، او را می‌دیدی.

    آمده باشی names a real possibility. For something that did not happen, use the past perfect: آمده بودی.

  • Leaving می‌ off the result.

    اگر زودتر آمده بودی، او را دیدی.
    اگر زودتر آمده بودی، او را می‌دیدی.

    The result needs می‌ with the past stem. Without it, the sentence reports a fact.

How It Connects

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

Unreal Past ConditionsLevel 5

Learn This First

The unreal past uses the past perfect and the unreal present.

Words in This Pattern

اگر