ja vien

Provided That: Ja Vien

Level 5

Ja vien means provided that or as long as: Mēs brauksim, ja vien nelīs (We will go, provided it does not rain).

How It Works

1. A condition that must hold. Ja vien introduces the one thing that has to be true:

  • Vari ņemt manu mašīnu, ja vien to atdosi rīt. (You can take my car, as long as you give it back tomorrow.)
  • Ja vien laiks atļaus, rīt iesim pārgājienā. (Weather permitting, we will go hiking tomorrow.)

2. With a negative: unless. Mēs brauksim, ja vien nelīs (We will go, unless it rains).

3. Tenses. As with ja real conditions and kad + future, a future condition uses the future: ja vien nelīs, ja vien atdosi. For a general truth, use the present.

4. If only. In an unreal condition both halves take the conditional (see ja + conditional): Es palīdzētu, ja vien varētu (I would help if only I could).

5. Commas. Put a comma between the clauses: before ja vien, or after the ja vien clause when it comes first (see commas in Latvian).

Examples (5)

  1. Mēs brauksim, ja vien nelīs.

    We will go, provided it does not rain.

    Word by Word: We will-go, if only will-not-rain.

  2. Vari ņemt manu mašīnu, ja vien to atdosi rīt.

    You can take my car, as long as you give it back tomorrow.

    Word by Word: (You)-can take my car, if only it (you)-will-give-back tomorrow.

  3. Ja vien laiks atļaus, rīt iesim pārgājienā.

    Weather permitting, we will go hiking tomorrow.

    Word by Word: If only weather will-allow, tomorrow we-will-go on-hike.

  4. Es palīdzētu, ja vien varētu.

    I would help if only I could.

    Word by Word: I would-help, if only could.

    Both verbs are conditional because the condition is not real.

  5. Viss būs kārtībā, ja vien tu neaizmirsīsi atslēgas.

    Everything will be fine, as long as you do not forget the keys.

    Word by Word: All will-be in-order, if only you will-not-forget keys.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the comma before ja vien.

    Mēs brauksim ja vien nelīs.
    Mēs brauksim, ja vien nelīs.

    Ja vien starts a subordinate clause, so a comma separates it from the main clause.

  • Mixing moods in an unreal condition.

    Es palīdzētu, ja vien es varu.
    Es palīdzētu, ja vien varētu.

    When the main clause is conditional because the situation is not real, the ja vien clause is conditional too: varētu.

How It Connects

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ja vienLevel 5Provided That: Ja Vien

Learn This First

Ja vien means provided that.

Words in This Pattern