Conditional clauses: real and unreal

B1

Wenn ich Zeit habe, komme ich. vs. Wenn ich Zeit hätte, würde ich kommen. Here you learn to tell real and unreal conditional clauses apart — to talk about possibilities, plans, and dreams.

  • Conditional clauses (real vs. unreal)

Explanation

With a wenn clause you state a condition. The wenn clause is a subordinate clause — the verb goes at the end: Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause.

There are two types. With a real condition, something is genuinely possible; you use the indicative: Wenn die Sonne scheint, gehen wir spazieren.

With an unreal condition, something is only imagined or unlikely. You use the subjunctive II — würde + infinitive or hätte, wäre, könnte: Wenn ich Zeit hätte, würde ich dich besuchen. Wenn ich reich wäre, würde ich eine Reise machen.

In both types, the verb comes at the end of the wenn clause: Wenn es schneit, … Wenn es schneien würde, …

Typewenn clauseMain clause
real (indicative)Wenn es regnet,bleibe ich zu Hause.
real (indicative)Wenn die Sonne scheint,gehen wir spazieren.
irreal (subjunctive II)Wenn ich Zeit hätte,würde ich dich besuchen.
irreal (subjunctive II)Wenn ich reich wäre,würde ich eine Reise machen.

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