Mixed Conditionals

¡Hola! Olá! Welcome to our friendly guide on using mixed conditionals in English, specifically designed for Spanish and Portuguese speakers. Conditional sentences can be challenging to learn, as they often involve complex structures and rules. This guide aims to help you understand mixed conditionals in English and compare them to similar structures in Spanish and Portuguese. We'll go through various examples to give you a better understanding. Let's get started!

I. Mixed Conditionals in English

1.1. Mixed Conditionals Structure

Mixed conditionals are used when the time in the "if" clause is not the same as the time in the main clause. There are two types of mixed conditionals:

Type 1: If + Past Perfect (had + past participle), would + verb (present result of a past condition)

Type 2: If + Past Simple (unreal present condition), would have + past participle (imaginary past result)

Examples:

Type 1: If I had studied harder, I would have a better job now.

Type 2: If she were here now, she would have enjoyed the party last night.

1.2. Usage

In English, mixed conditionals are used to express:

II. Mixed Conditionals in Spanish and Portuguese

2.1. Mixed Conditionals Structure

The structure of mixed conditionals in Spanish and Portuguese is similar to that in English. The main difference lies in the verb conjugation.

Type 1:

Spanish: Si + Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo, condicional simple

Portuguese: Se + Pretérito Mais-que-perfeito do Subjuntivo, condicional simples

Type 2:

Spanish: Si + Pretérito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo, condicional compuesto

Portuguese: Se + Pretérito Imperfeito do Subjuntivo, condicional composto

2.2. Usage

In both Spanish and Portuguese, mixed conditionals are used to express present results of unreal past situations and imaginary past results of unreal present situations, just like in English.

III. Examples and Comparisons

3.1. Present Results of Unreal Past Situations

English: If I had won the lottery, I would be rich now.

Spanish: Si hubiera ganado la lotería, sería rico ahora.

Portuguese: Se eu tivesse ganhado na loteria, seria rico agora.

3.2. Imaginary Past Results of Unreal Present Situations

English: If she lived closer, we would have seen her more often.

Spanish: Si viviera más cerca, la habríamos visto más a menudo.

Portuguese: Se ela morasse mais perto, teríamos visto ela mais vezes.

Conclusion

In this guide, we explored the use of mixed conditionals in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, comparing their structures and uses. Understanding these similarities and differences will help you better express present results of unreal past situations and imaginary past results of unreal present situations. Keep practicing, and you'll master the use of mixed conditionals in no time! ¡Buena suerte! Boa sorte!