se + Verb in -us, Verb in -us
If ... Would
The speaker knows or imagines that the condition is not true.
How It Works
| Situation | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| imagined, not true | se ... -us, ... -us | Se mi havus pli da tempo, mi studus ĉiutage. |
| possible, maybe true | se ... -as/-os, ... -os | Se Kenji venos, ni ludos kune. |
| always true | se ... -as, ... -as | Se vi varmigas akvon, ĝi bolas. |
Use -us only when the speaker knows, or pretends, that the condition is not true. If the condition might be true, use -as or -os.
A wish that cannot come true also uses se, often with nur: Se mi nur parolus Esperanton tiel bone kiel Ana!
The -us verb has no tense of its own. Mi ne farus la eraron, se li antaŭe dirus al mi la veron speaks about the past, and only antaŭe shows it.
Examples (4)
- Se mi havus pli da tempo, mi studus ĉiutage.
If I had more time, I would study every day.
Both parts take -us, because the speaker does not have the time.
- Se Ana loĝus apud ni, ŝi vizitus nin ĉiutage.
If Ana lived near us, she would visit us every day.
Loĝus and vizitus are both imagined.
- Se Kenji venos, ni ludos kune.
If Kenji comes, we will play together.
Kenji may really come, so the sentence uses -os, not -us.
- Se mi nur parolus Esperanton tiel bone kiel Ana!
If only I spoke Esperanto as well as Ana!
A wish that is not true uses se and -us.
Common Mistakes
Using -os in the result of an imagined condition.
Se mi havus tempon, mi studos.Se mi havus tempon, mi studus.Both parts of an unreal condition take -us. With -os in the result, the sentence would say that the studying will really happen.
Using -as in the condition part of a sentence about something unreal.
Se mi havas multe da mono, mi aĉetus aŭton.Se mi havus multe da mono, mi aĉetus aŭton.The speaker knows the money is not there, so both parts need -us. With havas the first part says the money may really exist.
How It Connects
Learn This First
An unreal condition uses -us in both parts.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice se + Verb in -us, Verb in -us in Bubblegum
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