Mixed conditions

Mixed conditions

Sometimes a decision made in the past affects your situation right now. To express this, use a mixed conditional.

This structure links a hypothetical past condition to a hypothetical present result:

  • Condition (past): si
    • past perfect subjunctive (hubiera
      • past participle)
  • Result (present): conditional simple (tendría, sería, estaría, etc.)
If you had managed the money better, you wouldn't have this debt.
Si hubieras administrado mejor el dinero, no tendrías esta deuda.
If he had sold the business, he wouldn't be in bankruptcy.
Si hubiera vendido el negocio, no estaría en quiebra.
If the management had been better, we wouldn't have this problem.
Si la gestión hubiera sido mejor, no tendríamos este problema.

Describing current consequences

When talking about business or the economy, you will frequently use verbs like ser or estar in the conditional simple to describe what a situation's current state would be.

Notice how words like ahora (now) or hoy (today) are often added to emphasize that the past action has a present consequence.

If we had saved more capital, the company would be stable now.
Si hubiéramos ahorrado más capital, la empresa sería estable ahora.
If they hadn't seen the crisis, they would be ruined today.
Si no hubieran visto la crisis, estarían arruinados hoy.
If we had signed the contract, it would be lucrative today.
Si hubiéramos firmado el contrato, hoy sería lucrativo.
If she had worked there, her future would be prosperous.
Si ella hubiera trabajado allí, su futuro sería próspero.