Verbs: Conditional
Grammar Notes
The conditional tense in Hebrew is a combination of the past tense and the present tense:
- – If it weren't difficult, I would do it.
Much like with the future tense, both the main clause and the if-clause need to be in the same tense. The form of will change to match the subject as outlined in Verbs: Past.
Could and should
The conditional tense can also be combined with other verbs in order to form more complex expressions like "could (have)" and "should (have)" using the conditional of and respectively.
Lessons
Lesson 1
- – if
- – if
- – I would
- – you would (s.m.)
- – you would (s.f.)
- – she would
Lesson 2
- – we would
- – he would, there would be
- – you would (p.m.)
- – you would (p.f.)
- – they would
Lesson 3
- – if not (for)
- – if not (for)
📖 Story: If we had money 8 sentences · 3 questions
If we had money
- Noa and Tamar are sitting in the café and talking.
- "If I had a lot of money, I would fly to America," says Noa.
- "And I would buy a house by the sea," says Tamar.
- "And if you had time, what would you do?" asks Tamar.
- "I would study Hebrew every day."
- Then the waiter comes:
- "Would you like more coffee?"
- "If we had money, we would!" they laugh.
Questions
Where would Noa fly?
What would Noa do if she had time?
Why don't they order more coffee?
Practice
The rule
"Would" – (in the right person) + present-tense verb. "If" for unreal situations: / / .
| I would come | |
| she would help | |
| we would fly | |
| ... | if I had time... |
Each sentence shows the rule. Listen, say it after the voice, then tap the grey bar for the meaning and a note on the rule. The pattern quiz blanks out the key form.
Sentences
- – If I had time, I would come · I → הייתי + verb
- – I would like coffee · polite: הייתי רוצה
- – If there were money, we would fly · we → היינו
- – She would help you · she → הייתה + fem. verb
- – What would you do? · you → היית
- – They would come · they → היו + plural verb
- – Had I known, I would have told you · אילו – if (unreal)
- – He would be happy to come · he → היה