Unreal conditional clauses with 'wenn' (if)
Irreale Bedingungssätze mit 'wenn'
Unreal conditionals describe situations that are hypothetical or contrary to fact.
Structure
Wenn + Konjunktiv II ..., (dann) + Konjunktiv II / würde + Infinitiv
Wenn + subjunctive II ..., (dann) + subjunctive II / würde + infinitive
Details
- Part of Speech
- Sentence Structure
- Register
- Standard
Explanation
What it is. Unreal conditional sentences describe situations that are hypothetical or contrary to fact - "if X were the , then Y would happen". They imagine a reality that is not (yet) true.
How it is formed. Both parts stand in Konjunktiv II. The wenn-clause (the condition) sends its to the end; the usually uses würde + Infinitiv or a real -II form like wäre/hätte.
- Wenn + ..., (dann) + würde + / .
Examples.
- Wenn ich reich wäre, hätte ich ein großes Haus. - If I were rich, I would have a big house.
- Wenn ich Zeit hätte, würde ich dich besuchen. - If I had time, I would visit you.
- Hätte ich das gewusst, wäre ich nicht gekommen. - Had I known that, I would not have come. (-first variant)
Common mistakes. Do not mix in the : Wenn ich Zeit habe, komme ich describes a real possibility, not a hypothesis - that is a different sentence. For the unreal version you need hätte and würde kommen. Avoid the colloquial würde in the wenn-clause itself (wenn ich hätte is better than wenn ich haben würde).
About Unreal conditional clauses with 'wenn' (if)
Unreal conditionals describe situations that are hypothetical or contrary to fact.
Both the wenn-clause and the stand in (wäre/hätte/könnte or würde + ) to express something hypothetical or impossible.
Irreale Bedingungssätze beschreiben eine hypothetische, reale Bedingung.
Caution
Both clauses use Konjunktiv II: 'Wenn ich Zeit hätte, würde ich kommen.' Don't mix in the indicative ('Wenn ich Zeit habe' is real, not hypothetical).