Conditional / Condisionałe

Conditional / Condisionałe

Definition: Verbal tense representing actions reliant on something else. Conditionals are used to talk about real or unreal situations, they are sometimes called if-clauses. Real Conditional describes real-life situations. Unreal Conditional describes unreal, imaginary situations.

In English there are 4 main forms of conditionals -Zero, First, Second and Third Conditional- and some particular mixed forms.

Let's try to understand Venetian conditionals starting from some examples:

Zero Conditional: certainty

If I drink two grappas, I'm tipsy in two minutes. Se bevo do graspe sò inbriago in do minuti.

If you see Venice, you fall in love. Se te vedi Venesia te te inamori.

If he starts doing something, he finishes it, too. Se el scumisia fare calcosa, el finise anca.

Does she get good marks if she studies? Ciapeła bei voti se ła studia?

Out language can survive if it is taught to children, Ła nostra lengua połe soravivare se ła ghe vien insegnà ai putełi.

If we aren't well-trained, we don't win. Se no semo ałenài no vinsemo.

If you don't understand your past, you can't control your future. Se no capì el vostro pasà, no podì controłare el vostro futuro.

If they promise something, they are always lying. Se łi promete calcosa łi xe senpre drìo contar bałe.

First Conditional: A real possibility in the future

If I drink this coffee, I won't sleep tonight. Se bevo sto cafè stanote no dormo altro.

If you visit venetian4english, you'll learn the Venetian language. Se te vìxiti venetian4english te inpararè ła łengua veneta.

If he breaks in, I'll call the police. Se el và drento mi ciamo ła połisia.

If she studies hard, she will pass the test. Se ła studia tanto ła pasarà el exame.

Pay attention! If it falls it will break! Stà atento! Se el casca el se ronpe!

We will go and see him if he can't move. Ndaremo noialtri catarlo se łu no połe movarse.

Will you stay at home if it rains tomorrow? Staxìo caxa se doman piove?

If they keep on that way, they'll go to jail sooner or later. Se łi va vanti in cheła maniera łà prima o dopo łi ndarà in gałera.

Second Conditional: Imaginary Present or Unlikely Future

If I had money, I'd buy a football team. Se gavese schei me cronparìa na scuadra de bałon.

Couldn't you try if you were so self confident?    No te podevi (miga) provare se te jeri cusì sicuro de ti?

If he truly loved her, he wouldn't still be flirting with others. Se ła amase par davero no el sarìa uncora drìo sivetare co chealtre.

If she spoke about her problem, she'd find the solution. Se ła parlase del so problema ła catarìa ła sołusion.

If it was hungry, it would eat. (the dog) Se el gaveva fame el magnava. (el can)

If we loved each other we would stop all wars. Se se vołesimo ben uno co' chealtro fermaresimo tute łe guere.

If you went to Venetia, you'd have to visit the city of Venice. Se te 'ndasi in Venesia te gavaresi davixitare ła çità de Venesia.

If they had clean water to drink, there would be a lot less disease. Se łi gavese acua potabiłe da bevare ghe sarìa tante manco małatie.

Third Conditional: Imaginary Past

If I had won the lottery, I would have bought a new house. Se gavese vinto ła łoteria me gavarìa cronpà na caxa nova.

If you had helped us, we would have already finished by now. Se te ne gavesi jutà gavarèsimo xà finìo a sta ora.

If he had seen her, he would have already explained her. Se ła gavese vista el ghe gavarìa xà spiegà.

If she hadn't asked me, I would not have helped her. Se no ła me gavese domandà mi no ła gavarìa jutà.

I would not have been searching for hours if it had been there. (the book) No sarìa stà sercarlo par ore se el fuse stà cuà. (el łibro)

If we had bought a map we would have known where we were. Se gavesimo cronpà na cartina gavaresimo savùo ndove che jerimo.

What would you have done if yesterday it had been rainy? Cosa gavarèsi fato se jeri gavese piovùo?

If they had gone to the party they would have had fun. Se łi fuse ndài ała festa łi se gavarìa divertìo.

Mixed Forms

Third Second Mixed Conditionals: imaginary present actions or situations that are not possible because the necessary conditions were not met in the past.

If you had come to class, you would know about it. Se te fusi vegnùo in clase te ło savarèsi.

Second Third Mixed Conditionals: To avoid the illogical 'If I had been you', which means that I was not you on that occasion, but could be in the future, which is, of course, impossible.

If I were you, I wouldn't have done that. Se fuse stà in ti, no ło gavarìa (mìga) fato.

When the first part is still true

If I could understand Venetian, I would have read the original of The Chioggia Scuffles. Se capìse el veneto gavarìa leto el orijinałe de Łe Barufe Cioxote.