de haberlo sabido.../de ser posible...
De Infinitive Patterns
Use de + infinitive as a concise way to say 'if...'. It replaces a standard si clause to express a condition.
How It Works
De + Infinitive as a Condition
This compact construction can mean “if”: De tener más dinero, compraría una casa corresponds to Si tuviera más dinero.... A conditional result is common for this hypothetical reading, but it is not required after every de + infinitive condition.
Open Conditions
De seguir así, no acabaremos hoy means “If we carry on like this, we won’t finish today.” The future acabaremos is normal. The simple infinitive itself does not force a contrary-to-fact condition or a conditional verb in the result.
Anterior Conditions
Use haber + participle for anteriority: De haberlo sabido, te habría llamado antes (“If I had known, I would have called you earlier”). In this past counterfactual reading, conditional perfect is a common result. Other time relations can give other forms: De haber estudiado medicina, ahora sería médico has a past condition and present result.
Form
Put no before the infinitive for a negative condition: de no ser necesario. Attach object pronouns to the infinitive: haberlo sabido, not to the participle. The participle after haber is invariable: sabido. A conditional infinitive may also have an explicit subject when context requires it; subject interpretation is not always identical to the main subject.
Not every de + infinitive phrase is conditional: in Antes de salir, de belongs to a temporal expression. Interpret the whole construction.
Examples (5)
- De haberlo sabido, te habría llamado antes.
If I had known, I would have called you earlier.
Word by Word: Of to have it known, you I would have called earlier.
This uses the perfect infinitive (
haber sabido) to express a hypothetical condition in the past, equivalent to 'Si lo hubiera sabido...' - De ser posible, preferiría la opción más económica.
If possible, I would prefer the cheaper option.
Word by Word: Of to be possible, I would prefer the option more economic.
This uses the simple infinitive (
ser) for a present or future condition, equivalent to 'Si fuera posible...' - No lo haría de no ser estrictamente necesario.
I wouldn't do it if it weren't strictly necessary.
Word by Word: Not it I would do of not to be strictly necessary.
This example shows the structure in a negative form (
de no ser). The main clause can come first. - De tener la oportunidad, viajaría por todo el mundo.
If I had the opportunity, I would travel all over the world.
Word by Word: Of to have the opportunity, I would travel for all the world.
- De haber llegado cinco minutos antes, habríamos visto el comienzo de la película.
If we had arrived five minutes earlier, we would have seen the beginning of the movie.
Word by Word: Of to have arrived five minutes earlier, we would have seen the beginning of the movie.
Common Mistakes
Using a conjugated verb after 'de' instead of an infinitive.
De tuviera más tiempo, leería un libro.De tener más tiempo, leería un libro.The preposition 'de' in this conditional structure must always be followed by an infinitive (e.g., 'tener', 'ser', 'haber'). It replaces the entire 'si + conjugated verb' part of the clause.
Making the participle after auxiliary haber agree in number.
De haberlo sabidos, no habría venido.De haberlo sabido, no habría venido.After haber, the participle remains sabido, not sabidos. Habría venido is a common past hypothetical result here, but de + infinitive does not universally require conditional or conditional perfect in the main clause.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'de haberlo sabido' or 'de ser posible', you need to know that the preposition 'de' can function as a replacement for 'si' (if) when followed by an infinitive. You also need to understand how to form compound infinitives using 'haber' and how to attach object pronouns to the end of those infinitives.
- de + InfinitiveConditional De
This pattern is a specific application of using 'de' followed by an infinitive to express a conditional 'if' clause.
Level 4 - Pronouns with Infinitives
The pattern 'de haberlo sabido' requires understanding how direct object pronouns (like 'lo') are appended to the end of infinitives.
Level 2 - hecho/dicho/escrito/visto/puesto/abierto/muerto/roto/vuelto/cubiertoIrregular Past Participles
The pattern 'de haberlo sabido' uses the compound infinitive form (haber + participle), requiring knowledge of past participle formation.
Level 3
Related Patterns
- si + Imperfect Subjunctive + ConditionalUnreal Si Clauses (Present)
De tener can replace si tuviera in a suitable hypothetical context. Simple de + infinitive can also express open conditions, so it is not always equivalent to si + imperfect subjunctive.
Level 4 - si + Pluperfect Subjunctive + Conditional PerfectUnreal Si Clauses (Past)
This is the standard structure for past unreal conditions. 'De + haber + participle' is its direct replacement. For example, 'Si hubiera sabido...' becomes 'De haber sabido...'
Level 4 - Conditional for Hypotheticals
Conditional is common for a hypothetical present or future result. Open de + infinitive conditions can instead have a future or another contextually suitable main-clause form.
Level 3 - Conditional Perfect Use
Conditional perfect commonly expresses a past counterfactual result. A past condition can instead have a present result, as in De haber estudiado medicina, ahora sería médico.
Level 4 - quisiera + InfinitivePolite Request with Quisiera
Quisiera can soften a wish or request. This differs from the syntax of de + infinitive conditions; shared politeness or hypothetical associations do not make them the same construction.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice de haberlo sabido.../de ser posible... in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Spanish lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
