Cause and Effect: Если ... то ...
To express cause and effect ("If X, then Y"), Russian pairs the conjunctions если (if) and то (then, in that case). Always separate the two clauses with a comma, placing it right before то.
| If the soil is very dry, then the vegetables grow poorly. | Если почва очень сухая, то овощи плохо растут. |
| If there is sun and rain, then it is good for the soil. | Если есть солнце и дождь, то это хорошо для почвы. |
Future Conditions
When predicting future outcomes, English usually uses the present tense for the "if" clause (e.g., "If you plant a tree, it will grow"). In Russian, if the condition describes a specific future action, you will use the future tense in both halves of the sentence.
| If the spring is without sun, then the harvest will be bad. | Если весна будет без солнца, то урожай будет плохой. |
| If we plant the grain tomorrow, then it will grow quickly. | Если мы завтра посадим зерно, то оно будет быстро расти. |
| If you plant a tree here, then it will grow without water. | Если ты посадишь здесь дерево, то оно будет расти без воды. |
If the condition is an ongoing, general habit that leads to a future result, Russian can also mix tenses, using the present tense for the condition and the future tense for the outcome:
| If the farmer works a lot, then the harvest will be big. | Если фермер много работает, то урожай будет большой. |
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