Second conditional (agar)

Unreal Present (Second Conditional)

When talking about a hypothetical or unreal situation in the present—like dreaming about being a millionaire or wishing you could fly—use the second conditional. In Farsi, these sentences start with اگر (if).

The structure has two parts:

  1. The condition ("If" clause): Uses اگر
    • a verb in the Simple Past or Past Continuous.
  2. The result clause: Uses a verb in the Past Continuous to show what would happen.

Simple Past in the Condition

When the condition describes a state of being or having something, the "If" clause uses a Simple Past verb. The result clause then uses the Past Continuous.

Past Continuous in Both Clauses

If the hypothetical condition focuses on an ongoing action or a regular habit, use the Past Continuous in both clauses.

Negative Conditions and Results

To express negative unreal ideas, make the verbs negative as usual. Add the نـ prefix for the Simple Past, or place it before the می‌ prefix for the Past Continuous.