View Single Post
  #1  
Old September 26, 2009, 10:26 AM
rkeyster rkeyster is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 15
rkeyster is on a distinguished road
Which tense follows "si" in present, past, etc.

Hi,

I'm sure this has been done before, but I'd really appreciate it if someone could clarify the tenses that follow "si" in various situations.

I know that the "regular," present tense subjunctive does NOT follow si.

For example, if I want to say:

If he comes, I will become nervous.

That is (I think!):

Si viene, me pongo nervioso. (no subjunctive used)

However, I've noticed that in sentences like the following (copied and pasted from the haber + haber thread), a form of the subjunctive is used.

HabrĂ­a sido bonito si no hubiera llovido en la boda. (It would have been nice if it hadn't rained at the party).

So if I want to say "If it had/hadn't....", would I always use the above form of the subjunctive (highlighted in red)?

Would I then use the past subjunctive if I wanted to simply say, "If it didn't rain..." (si no lloviera...)

I don't want to take up too much of anyone's time, so if anyone knows a website/page that lists the different "si" situations and which subjunctive/non-subjunctive verb tense corresponds, I'd be much obliged!
Reply With Quote