Questions & Answers about Если я ошибусь, это не страшно.
Why is ошибусь used here?
Ошибусь is the 1st person singular future form of the verb ошибиться.
So:
- я ошибусь = I will make a mistake / I’ll be mistaken
Because ошибиться is a perfective verb, it forms the future with a simple future form, not with буду.
Compare:
- ошибиться → я ошибусь
- делать → я буду делать
In this sentence, the speaker means a possible future mistake, so ошибусь fits naturally.
Why is there a future form after если? In English we usually say If I make a mistake, not If I will make a mistake.
That is a very important difference between English and Russian.
In Russian, after если referring to the future, you normally do use a future form:
- Если я ошибусь, ... = If I make a mistake, ...
English prefers the present after if, but Russian does not follow that rule.
More examples:
- Если он придёт, мы начнём. = If he comes, we’ll start.
- Если будет дождь, останемся дома. = If it rains, we’ll stay home.
So Если я ошибусь is exactly what Russian grammar expects.