Если не здесь, то в соседнем кафе мы найдём свободный столик.

То often pairs with если in Russian to make the contrast clearer: если ..., то ... = if ..., then ....

In this sentence, Если не здесь, то в соседнем кафе..., то is natural and helps structure the two alternatives:

• если не здесь = if not here
• то в соседнем кафе = then in the neighboring café

It is often optional in everyday speech, so Если не здесь, в соседнем кафе мы найдём свободный столик is possible, but то makes the sentence sound more neatly organized.

Russian often leaves out words that are easy to understand from context. This is a very natural kind of ellipsis.

So Если не здесь, то в соседнем кафе... literally means something like:

• If not here, then in the neighboring café...

The full thought is understood as:

• If not here, then in the neighboring café we’ll find a free table.

Russian does this quite comfortably when the omitted part is obvious. English can do something similar too: If not here, then next door.

Because не directly negates здесь: not here.

• не здесь = not here

This is the normal way to say it. In Russian, не usually goes right before the word it negates.

So:

• Если не здесь... = If not here...

Здесь не would feel incomplete unless something came after it, for example:

• Здесь не найдём столик = We won’t find a table here

There, не negates the verb найдём, not здесь.

It is the prepositional case after the preposition в when talking about location.

• кафе is an indeclinable noun, so its form does not change
• соседний changes to agree with it in the prepositional case:
  соседний → в соседнем кафе

So:

• в кафе = in the café
• в соседнем кафе = in the neighboring café

This is a very common pattern:

• в хорошем ресторане
• в маленьком магазине
• в новом доме

Because adjectives must match the noun they describe in gender, number, and case.

Here, кафе is neuter singular, and after в meaning location, the phrase takes the prepositional case. So the adjective must also be in neuter singular prepositional:

• соседний → dictionary form
• соседнем → prepositional singular neuter/masculine form after в

That is why you get:

• в соседнем кафе

Найдём is the perfective future of найти.

Russian often uses:

• imperfective for process, repetition, or ongoing action
• perfective for a completed result

Here the speaker means a successful result: we will find a table. So найдём is exactly what Russian prefers.

Compare:

• мы находим = we are finding / we find regularly
• мы будем находить = we will be finding / will keep finding
• мы найдём = we will find

Since the point is the result, найдём is the natural choice.

These are an aspect pair:

• найти = perfective
• находить = imperfective

Найти focuses on the completed outcome: you looked, and you found it.

Находить can mean:

• to find in a general/repeated sense
• to be in the process of finding
• to find something regularly or habitually

In this sentence, the speaker is confident about the result, so найдём from найти is used.

It is the accusative case, because it is the direct object of найдём.

We are finding a free table, so столик is what is being found.

For an inanimate masculine singular noun, the accusative looks the same as the nominative:

• nominative: свободный столик
• accusative: свободный столик

So even though the form looks unchanged, it is still accusative here.

Столик is a diminutive form of стол, but in places like cafés and restaurants it is extremely natural and often the normal word for table in the sense of a small dining table.

So:

• стол = table, desk, larger table, more general
• столик = little table / café table / small table

In this context, свободный столик sounds very natural.

Yes, Russian often omits subject pronouns when the verb form already shows who the subject is.

So both are possible:

• ...мы найдём свободный столик
• ...найдём свободный столик

Since найдём clearly means we will find, мы is not grammatically necessary.

It may be included for:

• emphasis
• clarity
• a slightly more explicit style

Yes, Russian word order is flexible. The sentence puts в соседнем кафе early because that location contrasts with не здесь.

This order highlights the alternative:

• not here
• but in the neighboring café

Other word orders are possible, for example:

• Если не здесь, то мы найдём свободный столик в соседнем кафе.
• Если не здесь, то свободный столик мы найдём в соседнем кафе.

All are understandable, but the original word order sounds natural because it keeps the contrast between places very clear.

Because Если не здесь is the first clause of an if... then... structure, and it is separated from the main clause.

So the punctuation is:

• Если не здесь, то ...

That comma marks the boundary between the condition and the result.

Usually соседний means neighboring, next-door, or adjacent/nearby, depending on context.

So в соседнем кафе most naturally suggests:

• the café next door
• the neighboring café
• a nearby café very close to this one

The exact distance is not mathematically precise; it depends on the situation.