Início
Aprender
Inglês
Gramática
B1 — E se...? Dominando Sonhos e Hipóteses com o Second Conditional

B1 · Intermediário Capítulo 30

E se...? Dominando Sonhos e Hipóteses com o Second Conditional

2 Regras totais

24 exemplos

5 min

Regras neste capítulo Prática rápida

E se...? Dominando Sonhos e Hipóteses com o Second Conditional

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Unlock your imagination by mastering the language of hypothetical dreams and unlikely possibilities.

Construct sentences about imaginary or unlikely future scenarios.
Apply the correct past tense forms within 'if' clauses.
Use 'if I were' to give professional and sophisticated advice.

Dream big, speak clearly, and explore the 'what if'.

O que você vai aprender

Você já se pegou imaginando o que faria se ganhasse na loteria ou se pudesse viajar no tempo? Chegou a hora de dar um passo além no seu inglês e aprender a expressar esses sonhos e hipóteses com confiança! Neste capítulo, vamos mergulhar no Second Conditional, a estrutura perfeita para falar de situações irreais ou pouco prováveis no presente e no futuro. Você vai entender como conectar o Simple Past (depois do 'if') ao uso do 'would' seguido de um verbo na forma base. Por exemplo, em vez de apenas relatar fatos, você conseguirá dizer: 'If I had more time, I would learn to play the piano'. Mas não para por aí! Vamos desvendar o famoso 'If I were', ensinando quando usar essa forma clássica em vez de 'If I was' para você soar muito mais natural e sofisticado. Essas habilidades são essenciais para situações reais, como dar conselhos valiosos ('If I were you, I’d take that job!') ou participar de conversas criativas sobre o futuro com amigos. Ao terminar este capítulo, você terá a liberdade de explorar mundos imaginários e compartilhar suas ambições de forma clara e gramaticalmente impecável. Vamos começar a projetar essas possibilidades?

O Segundo Condicional: Sonhando com 'If' e 'Would'
Desvende sonhos e conselhos hipotéticos com o Second Conditional – se o if vier com Simple Past, o resultado terá would e o base verb.
If I Were vs. If I Was (Segundo Condicional)
Olha só, dominar o uso de if I were vai deixar sua fala impecável quando você quiser expressar situações irreais ou hipotéticas. É um truque de mestre!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

1
By the end you will be able to describe five things you would do if you won a million dollars using correct tense structure.
2
By the end you will be able to provide polite advice to a friend using the 'If I were you' construction.

Guia do capítulo

Overview

Welcome to the magical world of the English second conditional! As a B1 English learner, you're already building a fantastic foundation for communicating in everyday situations, especially when you're travelling. This chapter is your key to unlocking more imaginative and nuanced ways to express yourself.

Understanding the English second conditional is crucial because it allows you to move beyond just talking about what *is* happening and start discussing what *could be* or *would be* happening if things were different. This is super useful for giving advice, sharing your dreams, and even handling hypothetical travel hiccups with confidence. Mastering this B1 English grammar point will significantly boost your fluency and make your English sound more natural and sophisticated.

Get ready to dream big with 'if' and 'would'!

This chapter will equip you with the tools to discuss exciting, though perhaps unlikely, scenarios. Imagine being able to tell a friend what you’d do if you won the lottery, or give advice on what they should do if they missed their flight. The second conditional is your go-to for these kinds of what if conversations.

It’s a powerful tool for expressing possibilities that aren't real right now, but could be. By the end of this lesson, you'll feel more comfortable exploring these hypothetical realms in your English conversations, making you a more adaptable and engaging communicator.

How This Grammar Works

The second conditional is our playground for talking about dreams, advice, and hypothetical situations that are unlikely or impossible in the present or future. It's formed using a simple structure: if + past simple, would + base verb. The key here is that we use the past simple tense in the 'if' clause, even when we're talking about the present or future!

This is what signals that the situation is hypothetical.

For example, imagine you're daydreaming about a holiday. You might say:

If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.

Here, 'won' is in the past simple, but we're talking about a future dream. Another example, this time for giving advice:

If you felt tired, you would take a nap.

Again, 'felt' is past simple, but the advice is for the present.

This structure helps us distinguish between real possibilities (which often use the first conditional) and imagined ones.

A crucial nuance within the second conditional is the use of 'were' versus 'was' after 'if I'. For more formal hypotheticals or for a touch of emphasis, we use 'If I were'. For instance,

If I were the manager, I would change the policy.

This sounds a bit more serious or official.

However, in casual daily conversations, 'If I was' is perfectly acceptable and very common: "If I was you, I'd go to bed early." Both are understood, but knowing the difference adds a layer of sophistication to your English.

Common Mistakes

1Using the present tense in the 'if' clause instead of the past simple.

* Incorrect: If I win a million dollars, I will buy a house.

* Correct: If I won a million dollars, I would buy a house.

1Using 'will' in the 'if' clause instead of 'would' in the main clause.

* Incorrect: If I had more time, I will learn to play the guitar.

* Correct: If I had more time, I would learn to play the guitar.

1Confusing 'If I were' and 'If I was' in inappropriate contexts. While 'If I was' is common informally, using it in very formal situations might sound less polished.

* Less Formal/Common: If I was you, I'd apologize.

* More Formal/Emphatic: If I were you, I'd apologize.

Real Conversations

Dialogue 1: Travel Dreams

What would you do if you had a month of free time?

Oh, if I had that much time, I would definitely travel to Japan. I've always wanted to see Kyoto.

That sounds amazing! If I had the chance, I'd go backpacking through South America.

Dialogue 2: Hypothetical Advice

I'm so stressed about this exam.

If I were you, I would take a short break. You need to clear your head.

You're probably right. If I didn't study so much, I might feel less anxious.

Dialogue 3: Unlikely Scenario

Imagine if animals could talk!

That would be hilarious! If my cat could talk, I'd ask him why he sleeps all day.

Haha, me too! If dogs could talk, they'd probably just ask for more treats.

Quick FAQ

When should I use the second conditional?

Use the second conditional to talk about imaginary situations in the present or future, to give advice, or to talk about dreams and wishes.

What's the difference between the second and third conditional?

The second conditional talks about hypothetical situations *now* or in the *future* (e.g.,

If I had money, I would buy a car

). The third conditional talks about hypothetical situations in the *past* that didn't happen (e.g.,

If I had had money, I would have bought a car

Is it always wrong to say 'If I was'?

No, 'If I was' is very common and acceptable in informal spoken English. 'If I were' is considered more formal or is used for stronger emphasis.

Can I use 'would' in the 'if' clause?

Generally, no. 'Would' belongs in the main clause (the result clause). The 'if' clause typically uses the past simple.

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use the second conditional constantly in everyday chat, especially for giving advice ("If I were you, I'd just relax) or sharing daydreams (If I won the lottery, I'd buy a private island"). It's a very natural way to express non-real possibilities and is key to sounding fluent and engaging.

Exemplos-chave (4)

`If I won the lottery`, I `would travel` the world.

Se eu ganhasse na loteria, viajaria o mundo.

O Segundo Condicional: Sonhando com 'If' e 'Would'

`If I were you`, I `would apologize` immediately.

Se eu fosse você, pediria desculpas imediatamente.

O Segundo Condicional: Sonhando com 'If' e 'Would'

If I were a bird, I would fly to the moon.

Se eu fosse um pássaro, voaria para a lua.

If I Were vs. If I Was (Segundo Condicional)

If she were here, she would know what to do.

Se ela estivesse aqui, saberia o que fazer.

If I Were vs. If I Was (Segundo Condicional)

Dicas e truques (2)

💡

Imagine o 'Irreal'

Lembre-se que o 'Second Conditional' é para situações imaginárias, improváveis ou que são o contrário da realidade. Se há uma possibilidade real, é o 'First Conditional'.

If I win, I will celebrate.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Segundo Condicional: Sonhando com 'If' e 'Would'

💡

Pense em 'Irreal' ou 'Desejo'

Se a situação não é real, não pode acontecer agora ou é algo que você deseja muito, sempre use 'were'. É seu sinal linguístico para um mundo hipotético!

If I were rich, I would travel the world.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: If I Were vs. If I Was (Segundo Condicional)

Vocabulário-chave (6)

hypothetical based on a suggested idea or theory rather than reality unlikely not expected to happen imaginary existing only in the mind lottery a contest where winners are chosen by chance advice recommendations about what someone should do billionaire a person who has more than a billion dollars

Real-World Preview

palmtree

The Dream Vacation

briefcase

Giving Career Advice

Review Summary

If + Past Simple, ... would + Verb (base form)
If + I/He/She/It + WERE, ...

Erros comuns

Do not use 'will' in the if-clause. Use the Past Simple to show the situation is hypothetical.

Wrong: If I will win the lottery, I would buy a car.

Correto: If I won the lottery, I would buy a car.

Avoid using 'would' in both parts of the sentence. The 'if' clause needs the Past Simple, not 'would'.

Wrong: If I would have more money, I would travel.

Correto: If I had more money, I would travel.

While 'was' is common in casual speech, 'were' is the grammatically correct form for the subjunctive mood used in advice.

Wrong: If I was you, I would take the job.

Correto: If I were you, I would take the job.

Regras neste capítulo (2)

O Segundo Condicional: Sonhando com 'If' e 'Would'

Desvende sonhos e conselhos hipotéticos com o Second Conditional – se o if vier com Simple Past, o resultado terá would e o base verb.

`If I won the lottery`, I `would travel` the world...

12 exemplos

If I Were vs. If I Was (Segundo Condicional)

Olha só, dominar o uso de if I were vai deixar sua fala impecável quando você quiser expressar situações irreais ou hipotéticas. É um truque de mestre!

If I were a bird, I would fly to the moon.

12 exemplos

Next Steps

You've just expanded your English toolkit by a huge margin! Being able to talk about dreams and give advice is a major milestone on your journey to fluency. Keep imagining!

Write a 'Bucket List' of 5 things you would do if money were no object.

Record a voice memo giving advice to a friend who 'wants to learn a new language' using 'If I were you...'.

Continue to: Possibility and Probability

Prática rápida (5)

Escolha a forma correta

If she ___ taller, she would be a great basketball player.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: were

'Were' é usado aqui porque a situação ('ela mais alta') é hipotética e não é verdadeira.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: If I Were vs. If I Was (Segundo Condicional)

Qual frase usa o 'Second Conditional' corretamente?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: If I won the lottery, I would buy a house.

A estrutura correta é 'If + Simple Past' na cláusula de condição e 'would + base verb' na cláusula principal.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Segundo Condicional: Sonhando com 'If' e 'Would'

Encontre e corrija o erro

Find and fix the mistake:

If I was you, I would take that job offer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: If I were you, I would take that job offer.

Em situações hipotéticas como dar conselhos ('If I were you'), 'were' é sempre a forma correta, não 'was'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: If I Were vs. If I Was (Segundo Condicional)

Escolha a frase correta:

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: If it were sunny, we would go to the park.

Para uma condição irreal (não está ensolarado), usamos 'were' na oração com 'if' do Segundo Condicional.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: If I Were vs. If I Was (Segundo Condicional)

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase.

`If I ___ a superhero, I would fly everywhere.`

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: were

Para situações hipotéticas com o verbo 'to be', usamos 'were' para todos os sujeitos, incluindo 'I'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Segundo Condicional: Sonhando com 'If' e 'Would'

Score: /5

Perguntas comuns (4)

Ele é usado para falar de situações imaginárias ou muito improváveis no presente ou futuro, e seus resultados hipotéticos. Pense nele como um 'e se?' gramatical.

What if I were rich?

A cláusula 'if' usa o 'Simple Past' (passado simples): 'If + Sujeito + verbo no Simple Past...'. Por exemplo:

If I had a dog...

A principal diferença está na formalidade e correção gramatical para situações irreais. 'If I were' é a forma gramaticalmente correta no subjuntivo para cenários hipotéticos (ex: