Learn Polish: O ile dotrzymasz umowy, zapewnimy wam materiały. - Provided that you keep the agreement, we will provide you with the materials.

In English, we often use the present tense for future conditions (provided that you keep...). In Polish, o ile (provided that / as long as) is followed by the logical tense of the action. Since fulfilling the agreement is a future event, Polish uses the perfective future tense dotrzymasz.

Why is the word for agreement in the genitive case (umowy)?

The verb dotrzymać (to keep or fulfill, like keeping a promise or a contract) always requires its object to be in the genitive case. Even though the agreement feels like a standard direct object, you must use the genitive umowy instead of the accusative.

There is a shift from the singular you (dotrzymasz) to the plural you (wam). Is this intentional?

Yes, this is intentional and common in business or group contexts. Dotrzymasz is second-person singular, meaning the speaker is talking to the specific representative signing or managing the deal. However, wam is the dative plural, indicating that the materials will be provided to that representative's entire team or company.

Could I use jeśli instead of o ile here?

You could grammatically say Jeśli dotrzymasz umowy, but o ile carries a stronger restrictive meaning. While jeśli just means if, o ile means provided that or as long as. It emphasizes that providing the materials is strictly dependent on the condition being met.