Learn Hardcore French: Si le colis arrive en retard, je le ramène demain. - If the package arrives late, I will bring it back tomorrow.

In French, after si (if) you do not use the future tense. You use the present to talk about a future possibility. So: Si le colis arrive… is correct; Si le colis arrivera… is wrong. The future can appear in the main clause: Si le colis arrive, je le ramènerai.

Should the main clause be je le ramènerai demain instead of je le ramène demain?

Both are possible. Neutral/written French prefers the future: je le ramènerai demain. Using the present with a future time marker (demain) is common in speech and quite natural: je le ramène demain ≈ “I’m bringing it back tomorrow.”

Why use si and not quand?

si = condition/uncertainty (“if it happens”).
quand = time/inevitability (“when it happens”).
Examples:
Single upcoming event (uncertain): Si le colis arrive en retard, je le ramènerai demain.
Habit/general rule: Quand le colis arrive en retard, je le ramène le lendemain.
For a specific future time clause with quand, use future: Quand il arrivera, je le ramènerai.

What’s the difference between en retard and tard?

en retard = late relative to a schedule or expectation.
Example: Le train est en retard.
tard = late in the day/at a late hour.
Example: Il est rentré tard. Also: en avance = early (relative to schedule). avec retard exists in administrative style but is less common in everyday speech than en retard.

Is ramener the best verb here? What about rapporter, retourner, renvoyer, or rendre?

ramener = bring back, typically for people (but widely used for things in everyday French).
rapporter = bring an object back (prescriptively the “right” verb for things).
retourner = return (take/send back) an item, very common in retail contexts.
renvoyer = send back (e.g., via mail/courier).
rendre = give back to someone (the owner).
Also: amener (bring a person), apporter (bring a thing).
All of these can fit depending on nuance. In careful style for an object: je le rapporte demain or je le retourne demain (to a store).

Why is it le and not lui? And how do y and en fit in?

le replaces a masculine singular direct object (le colis).
lui replaces an indirect object (to him/her).
y replaces a place or “à + thing.”
en replaces “de + thing” or expresses quantity.
Examples:
Je le ramène demain. (I’m bringing it back.)
Je le lui ramène demain. (I’m bringing it back to him/her.)
Je l’y ramène demain. (I’m taking it back there.)
J’en ramènerai un demain. (I’ll bring one of them back.)

Where do object pronouns go with different structures?

Simple tense: before the verb — Je ne le ramène pas demain.
Near future (aller + infinitive): before the infinitive — Je vais le ramener demain (not: Je le vais ramener).
Affirmative imperative: after the verb with a hyphen — Ramène-le demain.
Negative imperative: before the verb — Ne le ramène pas demain.

Why le colis and not un colis or ce colis?

le colis = the specific package already known in context.
un colis = any package/introducing a new, unspecified one.
ce colis = this/that particular package, deictic emphasis.
All are grammatically correct; the article reflects what you mean.

Is the comma necessary after the si clause?

When the if-clause comes first, a comma is standard: Si …, je …
If the main clause comes first, the comma is usually omitted: Je … si …
Both orders are fine: Si le colis arrive en retard, je le ramène demain / Je le ramène demain si le colis arrive en retard.

Could I say Si le colis est en retard instead of arrive en retard?

Yes, but there’s a nuance:

arrive en retard focuses on the act of arriving later than expected.
est en retard states the lateness as a condition or state (it’s running late).
Both work; choose based on what you want to emphasize.

Why is there an accent in ramène? How is ramener conjugated?

The stem vowel changes (e → è) before a silent ending to keep the open “eh” sound:

Present: je ramène, tu ramènes, il ramène, nous ramenons, vous ramenez, ils ramènent
Future: je ramènerai (note the è)
Past participle: ramené (with é).

Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?

colis: [ko-li], final -s is silent.
arrive: [a-reev].
en retard: nasal en [ɑ̃]; retard starts with a French guttural r.
je le often reduces to [ʒ(ə) lə].
ramène: open “è” like in English “bed.”
demain: the -in is nasal [mɛ̃] (no n sound at the end).
No required liaisons here (e.g., not between colis and arrive).

Do we ever use the subjunctive after si?

No. si does not take the subjunctive. For a hypothetical or less likely scenario about the future, you can use the imperfect/conditional pair:

Si le colis arrivait en retard, je le ramènerais demain.

Why demain and not le lendemain?

demain is relative to now (the moment of speaking).
le lendemain is used when the reference point is in the past or in reported speech:
- Direct: Il dit: “Je le ramène demain.”
- Reported: Il a dit que, si le colis arrivait en retard, il le ramènerait le lendemain.

Why does colis have an -s even in the singular?

It’s one of those nouns whose singular ends in -s. The plural is spelled the same; the article shows number:

Singular: le colis
Plural: les colis