Word
Если троллейбус не придёт, я пойду до метро пешком.
Meaning
If the trolleybus does not come, I will walk to the metro on foot.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Questions & Answers about Если троллейбус не придёт, я пойду до метро пешком.
Why is придёт a future form after если? In English we usually say if it doesn’t come, not if it won’t come.
This is a very common difference between English and Russian.
In Russian, with a real future condition, the if-clause can use a future form:
Если троллейбус не придёт, я пойду...
Literally, that first verb is future: if the trolleybus doesn’t come / doesn’t arrive.
English normally uses the present after if, but Russian does not have that same restriction. So this is completely normal Russian.
Why is it не придёт and not не приходит?
Because the sentence is about one specific future arrival.
- придёт = perfective future, one completed arrival
- приходит = imperfective present, usually habitual or repeated: it comes / it is coming
- будет приходить = repeated future: it will keep coming / will come regularly
Here the speaker means one event: the trolleybus may or may not arrive. That is why придёт is the natural choice.
Why is it пойду and not иду or буду идти?