Russian grammar: conditional sentences

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In Russian there are 2 words which fit the meanings of the English word "if."

Contents 1 ли 2 если 3 the Conditional 4 the "Unreal" Conditional 5 when not to use the Conditional

ли

"Ли" is used in dependent clauses whenever "whether" can be used in English:

Я не знаю, там ли он.

I don't know if/whether he is there.

The word or phrase in question precedes "ли" which is followed by the rest of the clause:

Я не знаю, идёт ли он уже туда.

I don't know whether/if he is already going there.

Я не знаю, в Москву ли ходила она или в Петербург.

I don't know if/whether she went to Moscow or to St. Petersburg.

"Ли" can also be used to form polite questions or suggestions. Here it translates best as "Wouldn't you like/ Perhaps you would like to.."

Не хотите ли вы поехать в Москву?

Wouldn't you like to go to Moscow?

если

"Если" is used to introduce a condition and the results if the condition is met:

Я пойду, если она там будет.

I'll go if she will be there.

Если ты знала, почему же ты мне не сказала!?

If you knew, why the heck didn't you tell me!?

Если никто не будет голосовать, нечего не изменится!

If no one votes, nothing will change!

the Conditional

The Conditional mood expresses possiblility or a hypothetical situation.

To form the Conditional Mood, you use the Past tense of the verb with the particle бы. Бы usually follows the verb, but it may also precede it. Бы in never accented (stessed,) nor can it begin a sentence.

Я хотел бы познакомиться с ней.

I would like to get to know her.

It must be determined from context whether the verb refers to the past or future.

Мы пошли бы в кино, но дождь идёт.

We would go to the Movies, but it's raining.

but

Мы пошли бы в кино, но шёл дождь.

We would have gone to the movies, but it was raining.

Past tense of идти tells you the rain was going, so speaker must be speaking of the past.

Я хотел бы познакомиться с ней.

"I would like to get to know her." or "I would like to have gotten to know her."

Here, if you were paying attention to what the fellow has been talking about, context would tell you whether he is speaking of the girl sitting across from you at the restaurant, or a girl he met at a party last week, whom he may never see again.

Note that complex sentences, бы can be in both the main and subordinate clauses, or in just one clause.

Я хотел бы позвонить ей, но не могу. Она не дала мне свой номер.

I would like to call her, but I can't. She didn't give me her telephone number.

Хорошо было бы туда пойти.

It would be nice to go there.

the "Unreal" Conditional

The Unreal Conditional denotes a condition that was not met in the past, or that is unlikely to be fulfilled in the future.

The Unreal Conditional is formed by если бы = verb in past tense.

Если бы я только мог познакомиться с ней!

If only I had gotten to know her.

Если бы я знал её номер, то позвонил бы ей.

If I knew her phone number, I would call her or If I had known her phone number, I would have called her.

The main clause may be left out:

Если бы мы знали!

If only we had known!

Если бы молодость знала, если бы старость могла...

If only youth knew and old age could...

when not to use the Conditional

Not every sense of "would" in English is accomplished by the Conditional in Russian.

Russian uses no special form for Reported Speech, as is used in English.

Он сказал, что придёт.

He said he would come. or He said he will come.

Tебе должно это понравиться.

You'd find this tasty.