kui + Conditional
Unreal Conditions
Kui mul oleks aega, tuleksin kaasa means If I had time, I would come along. Both verbs are in the conditional.
How It Works
Estonian has two kinds of if sentences with kui:
- Real condition: it may really happen. Use the present: Kui mul on aega, siis tulen. (If I have time, I will come.)
- Unreal condition: it is not true now, or it is only imagined. Use the conditional in both clauses: Kui mul oleks aega, tuleksin. (If I had time, I would come, but I do not have time.)
Do not copy the English past tense. If I had is kui mul oleks, not kui mul oli.
The main clause can start with the verb, or you can add siis (then): Kui ilm oleks ilus, läheksime randa. or Kui ilm oleks ilus, siis me läheksime randa. The kui clause can also come second: Tuleksin, kui mul oleks aega. A comma always separates the two clauses.
The verb agrees with its own subject. In mul oleks aega the verb is third person, so it is oleks, not oleksin.
For a past situation that did not happen, use the past conditional: Kui ma oleksin teadnud, oleksin tulnud. A literary pattern leaves out kui and starts with the verb: Oleks mul aega, tuleksin.
Examples (6)
- Kui mul oleks aega, tuleksin kaasa.
If I had time, I would come along.
Word by Word: if at-me would-be time, would-come-I along
Both clauses are in the conditional. Mul oleks is third person because aega is what there is.
- Kui ma oleksin sina, ma ei teeks seda.
If I were you, I wouldn't do that.
The main clause uses the negative conditional ei teeks.
- Kui ilm oleks ilus, läheksime randa.
If the weather were nice, we would go to the beach.
- Kui ma oskaksin ujuda, hüppaksin vette.
If I could swim, I would jump into the water.
- Mida sa teeksid, kui sa võidaksid miljon eurot?
What would you do if you won a million euros?
The kui clause can come second.
- Kui mul on homme aega, siis ma tulen.
If I have time tomorrow, I will come.
This is a real condition, so both verbs stay in the present. Compare it with the first example.
Common Mistakes
Copying the English past tense into the kui clause.
Kui mul oli aega, ma tuleksin.Kui mul oleks aega, ma tuleksin.For the meaning if I had time (but I do not), Estonian uses the conditional. Kui mul oli aega means when I had time, in the past.
Giving the verb the ending of the person in the adessive.
Kui mul oleksin aega, tuleksin.Kui mul oleks aega, tuleksin.In mul on aega the verb is third person. In the conditional it stays third person: oleks.
Adding a personal ending in the negative main clause.
Kui ma oleksin sina, ma ei teeksin seda.Kui ma oleksin sina, ma ei teeks seda.After ei the conditional has no personal ending.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Unreal conditions combine kui and the conditional.
Related Patterns
- kui ... siisIf ..., Then (Kui ... Siis)
Siis can start the main clause of an unreal condition too.
Level 2 - Would Have (oleksin teinud)
Used for unreal conditions about the past.
Level 3 - Wishes (Oleks mul!)
Kui ... vaid with the conditional turns the same pattern into a wish.
Level 4 - Negative Conditional
The main clause often says what you would not do.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice kui + Conditional in Bubblegum
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