New concept
Real or imagined?
English shows how likely a condition is through the tense: if it rains (it may well) or if it rained (it isn't, or probably won't). German does the same through the mood of the verb:
| Real — it could happen | Unreal — it isn't so |
|---|---|
| Wenn es morgen regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause. | Wenn es nicht regnen würde, würden wir an den See fahren. |
| If it rains tomorrow, we'll stay at home. | If it weren't raining, we'd go to the lake. |
| Wenn ich Zeit habe, komme ich vorbei. | Wenn ich Zeit hätte, würde ich vorbeikommen. |
| If I have time, I'll drop by. | If I had time, I'd drop by. |
- Real conditions use the ordinary indicative in both halves — and German happily uses the present for the future: bleiben wir, komme ich.
- Unreal conditions use the Konjunktiv II in both halves.
- The word order is the same either way: verb last after wenn, then the main clause opens with its verb.
vorbeikommen — to drop by.