Por Vahid Alaghehband
Los condicionales combinan una condición (if…) y un resultado. El zero expresa hechos generales (If you heat ice, it melts); el first, situaciones posibles en el futuro (If it rains, I'll stay home); el second, situaciones imaginarias en el presente (If I had more time, I would travel); y el third, un pasado que no ocurrió (If I had studied, I would have passed).
Esta guía forma parte de la gramática inglesa por nivel. Los condicionales corresponden a los niveles A2 y B1 del MCER (subniveles A2.2–B1.2 en el catálogo de Vozi Grammar). El zero y el first son de A2; el second y el third, de B1.
Cómo se forman los condicionales
| Tipo | Condición (if) | Resultado | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zero | if + presente simple | presente simple | If you mix blue and yellow, you get green. |
| First | if + presente simple | will + verbo | If you call me, I'll pick you up. |
| Second | if + pasado simple | would + verbo | If I lived near the beach, I would swim every day. |
| Third | if + had + participio | would have + participio | If we had left earlier, we wouldn't have missed the bus. |
Afirmativa, negativa y pregunta (first conditional)
| Forma | Ejemplo |
|---|---|
| Afirmativa | If it's sunny, we'll go to the park. |
| Negativa | If you don't hurry, you won't catch the bus. |
| Pregunta | What will you do if they offer you the job? |
| Respuesta corta | Will you come if I invite you? — Yes, I will. |
Las dos partes pueden ir en cualquier orden; si if va primero, se pone coma: If it rains, I'll stay home / I'll stay home if it rains. En el second conditional se usa If I were you para dar consejos.
Cuándo se usan los condicionales
Zero: hechos, reglas e instrucciones
Si se cumple la condición, el resultado siempre ocurre.
- If you press this button, the screen turns off.
- If I drink coffee at night, I can't sleep.
- Plants die if they don't get water.
First: posibilidades reales en el futuro
Puede pasar.
- If you study every day, you'll improve fast.
- If she doesn't answer, I'll send a message.
- What will you do if the flight is canceled?
Second: situaciones imaginarias y consejos
Algo irreal o poco probable.
- If I won the lottery, I would buy a house for my mom.
- If I were you, I'd ask for a raise.
- Would you move abroad if you had the chance?
Third: un pasado que no ocurrió
Otro resultado para algo que ya pasó; sirve para arrepentimientos.
- If I had known, I would have helped you.
- She would have passed if she had practiced more speaking.
- If we hadn't taken that road, we wouldn't have met.
Palabras clave
Además de if, estas palabras introducen condiciones:
- if
- unless (= if not)
- when (zero)
- as long as
- provided (that)
Ojo: in case no es lo mismo que if. Take an umbrella in case it rains significa "por si llueve", por precaución, no "si llueve". En cambio, "en caso de que" suele traducirse con if: If you need help, call me.
Errores frecuentes de hispanohablantes
| Error | Corrección | Por qué |
|---|---|---|
| ✗ If it will rain, I'll stay home. | ✔ If it rains, I'll stay home. | Después de if no va will. Ojo con "cuando llueva": se dice when it rains, no when it will rain. |
| ✗ If I would have money, I would buy it. | ✔ If I had money, I would buy it. | En el second conditional, would va solo en el resultado. |
| ✗ If I had studied, I would passed. | ✔ If I had studied, I would have passed. | El third conditional necesita would have + participio. |
| ✗ If I was you, I'd call her. | ✔ If I were you, I'd call her. | Para aconsejar se prefiere were, sobre todo en exámenes y textos formales; en conversación también se oye was. |
| ✗ Unless you don't hurry, you'll be late. | ✔ Unless you hurry, you'll be late. | Unless ya significa "si no": no se agrega otra negación. |
First vs second conditional
| First conditional | Second conditional | |
|---|---|---|
| Qué tan probable | Real, posible | Imaginario o poco probable |
| Tiempos | if + presente, will + verbo | if + pasado, would + verbo |
| Ejemplo | If I get the job, I'll move to Cuenca. (tengo la entrevista mañana) | If I got the job, I'd move to Cuenca. (no creo que me lo den) |
| Tiempo real | Futuro | Presente o futuro imaginado |
En el second conditional, el pasado marca distancia de la realidad, no tiempo pasado.
Miniconversación
Dos amigas hablan de un examen.
A: What will you do if you pass the B2 exam?
B: If I pass, I'll apply for a scholarship in Canada.
A: And if you don't pass?
B: If I don't pass, I'll take it again in March.
A: I'm sure you'll do fine. If I were you, I'd practice speaking every day.
B: You're right. Last year I didn't. If I had practiced more, I would have gotten a better score.
A: Well, this time you know what to do.
B: Exactly. If I have questions, I'll call you!
10 ejercicios con respuestas
Completa con la forma correcta del verbo. En el último, corrige el error.
- If you heat water to 100 °C, it ___ (boil).
- If it ___ (rain) tomorrow, we'll cancel the trip.
- If I ___ (have) a car, I would drive to work.
- She ___ (call) you tomorrow if she needs help.
- If they ___ (leave) earlier, they would have caught the train.
- If I were you, I ___ (not / buy) that phone.
- What ___ you ___ (do) if you lost your passport?
- We won't go out unless the weather ___ (improve).
- If he had asked me, I ___ (help) him.
- Corrige: If I will see her, I will tell her.
Ver respuestas
- boils
- rains
- had
- will call
- had left
- wouldn't buy
- would … do
- improves
- would have helped
- If I see her, I'll tell her.
Siguiente paso: si no sabes tu nivel, haz el test de nivel de inglés (unos 15 minutos, con resultado al instante). Para seguir con este tema, conoce los ejercicios de gramática inglesa por nivel de Vozi Grammar.
Preguntas frecuentes
¿Cuántos condicionales hay en inglés?
Se suelen enseñar cuatro: zero (hechos generales), first (posibilidades reales), second (situaciones imaginarias) y third (un pasado que no ocurrió). También existen los condicionales mixtos, que combinan el second y el third.
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre first y second conditional?
El first habla de algo posible (If I get the job, I'll move); el second, de algo imaginario o poco probable (If I got the job, I'd move). Cambian los tiempos: presente + will frente a pasado + would.
¿Por qué se dice If I were you y no If I was you?
Porque en el second conditional se usa were con todas las personas en registro formal. If I was you se oye en conversación, pero en exámenes y textos formales se prefiere were.
¿Se puede usar will después de if?
En los condicionales, normalmente no: If it rains, I'll stay home. Solo se usa en casos especiales, como pedidos corteses (If you will wait here, I'll call her).