si + Present, Present

General Truth Condition

Level 2

The Si + present, present structure (Zero Conditional) describes things that are always true or happen regularly. It functions like the English word 'whenever'.

How It Works

This pattern is the standard way to express a general truth or a habitual action in French. Unlike the Si + present, futur pattern, which predicts a specific outcome for a specific event, the double-present structure describes a timeless relationship.

1. Usage Scenarios:

  • Scientific Facts: Si on chauffe l'eau, elle bout. (If you heat water, it boils.)
  • Habits: Si je suis fatigué, je dors. (If/Whenever I am tired, I sleep.)
  • Logical Rules: Si tu ne manges pas, tu as faim. (If you don't eat, you are hungry.)

2. The Elision Rule:
The word si only contracts to s' before the subject pronouns il (he) and ils (they). It does not contract before elle, on, or any other vowel-starting word.

  • s'il (if he) / s'ils (if they)
  • si elle (if she) / si on (if one/we)

3. Clause Order:
You can swap the order of the clauses without changing the meaning. For example: Je bois de l'eau si j'ai soif is the same as Si j'ai soif, je bois de l'eau.

Examples (5)

  1. Si on chauffe la glace, elle fond.

    If you heat ice, it melts.

    Word by Word: If one heats the ice, it melts.

    This is a scientific fact that is always true, so both verbs are in the present tense.

  2. S'il pleut, nous restons à la maison.

    If it rains, we stay at home.

    Word by Word: If it rains, we stay at the house.

    This describes a habitual routine or a general rule for the speakers. Note the elision of 'si' before 'il'.

  3. Si tu as faim, tu manges quelque chose.

    If you are hungry, you eat something.

    Word by Word: If you have hunger, you eat something.

    A logical consequence using the present tense in both clauses.

  4. Si elle ne boit pas de café, elle a mal à la tête.

    If she doesn't drink coffee, she gets a headache.

    Word by Word: If she not drinks not of coffee, she has pain at the head.

    This describes a personal habit or physical certainty. Note that 'si' does not elide before 'elle'.

  5. Le chocolat fond si on le laisse au soleil.

    Chocolate melts if you leave it in the sun.

    Word by Word: The chocolate melts if one it leaves at the sun.

    This shows that the 'si' clause can come second while maintaining the double-present structure.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the future tense in the 'if' clause.

    Si tu étudieras, tu réussis.
    Si tu étudies, tu réussis.

    In French, you never use the future tense immediately after 'si' to express a condition. Use the present tense instead.

  • Incorrect elision of 'si' before 'on' or 'elle'.

    S'on a soif...
    Si on a soif...

    The word 'si' only becomes 's'' before 'il' or 'ils'. It remains 'si' before 'on', 'elle', or 'elles'.

  • Using the subjunctive mood after 'si'.

    Si tu sois là, on commence.
    Si tu es là, on commence.

    Even though 'si' introduces a condition, it is followed by the indicative mood, not the subjunctive.

How It Connects

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

si + Present, PresentLevel 2General Truth Condition

Learn This First

To learn the 'Si + present, present' pattern, you must first be comfortable with present tense verb conjugations, as this structure uses them in both parts of the sentence. You also need a solid grasp of basic sentence structure and the impersonal 'on' pronoun, which is commonly used to state the general or habitual truths this pattern describes.

Words in This Pattern