se + Imperfect Subjunctive + Conditional
Condição Irreal (Presente)
Se + Imperfect Subjunctive + Conditional
How It Works
The Condição Irreal is the Portuguese equivalent of the English 'Second Conditional.' It is used when the speaker perceives a situation as impossible or very unlikely.
1. The Structure:
- The Condition: Starts with se (if) followed by the Imperfeito do Subjuntivo. This tense usually ends in -sse (e.g., falasse, tivesse, fosse). Note that the nós form always requires a written accent on the stressed vowel (e.g., falássemos, tivéssemos).
- The Result: Uses the Condicional (Futuro do Pretérito). This is formed by adding -ia endings to the infinitive (e.g., falaria, teria, iria).
2. Clause Order:
The order of the clauses is flexible. You can start with the condition or the result without changing the meaning:
Se eu ganhasse na loteria, eu viajaria. (If I won the lottery, I would travel.)
Eu viajaria se eu ganhasse na loteria. (I would travel if I won the lottery.)
3. Register Differences:
In formal writing, the Condicional is strictly used for the result. However, in colloquial Portuguese (both in Brazil and Portugal), speakers almost always replace the Conditional with the Pretérito Imperfeito do Indicativo.
Formal: Se eu tivesse tempo, eu iria.
Colloquial: Se eu tivesse tempo, eu ia.
4. Common Irregulars:
Remember that the Imperfect Subjunctive stem comes from the 3rd person plural of the Pretérito Perfeito (e.g., fizeram → fizesse). The Conditional has only three irregular stems: diria (dizer), faria (fazer), and traria (trazer).
Examples (5)
- Se eu fosse você, não aceitaria esse emprego.
If I were you, I wouldn't accept that job.
Word by Word: If I were you, not [I] would accept this job.
A classic hypothetical situation where the condition (being someone else) is impossible.
- Se nós morássemos em Portugal, falaríamos português todo dia.
If we lived in Portugal, we would speak Portuguese every day.
Word by Word: If we lived in Portugal, [we] would speak Portuguese every day.
This implies the speakers do not currently live in Portugal.
- O que você faria se ganhasse na loteria?
What would you do if you won the lottery?
Word by Word: The what you would do if [you] won in the lottery?
Used for highly improbable future events.
- Se eu tivesse dinheiro, eu comprava um carro novo.
If I had money, I would buy a new car.
Word by Word: If I had money, I bought a car new.
This example uses the colloquial 'comprava' (Imperfect Indicative) instead of 'compraria' (Conditional), a very common substitution in spoken Portuguese across both Brazil and Portugal.
- Se ela soubesse a verdade, ficaria muito triste.
If she knew the truth, she would be very sad.
Word by Word: If she knew the truth, [she] would stay very sad.
Uses the irregular subjunctive stem 'soubesse' from the verb 'saber'.
Common Mistakes
Using the Present Indicative in the result clause.
Se eu fosse rico, eu compro um barco.Se eu fosse rico, eu compraria um barco.The result of a hypothetical condition must be in the Conditional or the Imperfect Indicative, never the Present.
Confusing the Future Subjunctive with the Imperfect Subjunctive.
Se eu ter tempo, eu iria.Se eu tivesse tempo, eu iria.Use 'tivesse' (Imperfect) for unlikely/unreal conditions. Use 'tiver' (Future Subjunctive) only for real possibilities.
Using the wrong stem for irregular verbs in the subjunctive.
Se ele fazesse o bolo, nós comeríamos.Se ele fizesse o bolo, nós comeríamos.The Imperfect Subjunctive stem for 'fazer' is 'fiz-' (from 'fizeram'), not 'faz-'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To form present contrary-to-fact conditions (e.g., 'If I were rich, I would travel'), you must be able to conjugate verbs in both the imperfect subjunctive (for the 'if' part) and the conditional tense (for the 'would' part).
Related Patterns
- se + Future SubjunctiveCondição Real Futura (Se)
This is the 'Real Condition' (e.g., 'If I have time, I will go'), used for likely future events, contrasting with the 'Unreal Condition'.
Level 4 - Condicional Hipotético
This explains the formation and general use of the result clause used in this pattern.
Level 3 - se + Pluperfect Subjunctive + Conditional PerfectCondição Irreal (Passado)
The 'Past Unreal Condition' (e.g., 'If I had known, I would have gone'), which is the past-tense version of this pattern.
Level 5 - como se + Imperfect SubjunctiveComo Se (As if)
Uses the same subjunctive tense to create hypothetical comparisons ('as if...').
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice se + Imperfect Subjunctive + Conditional in Bubblegum
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