Conditional Sentences with 'jestli' and 'kdyby' — Czech Grammar

Czech splits if in two. One word introduces a condition that may well come true, another introduces one that is imagined, and the verb forms differ with them. Choosing the wrong one does not make the sentence unclear so much as untrue to what you meant.

Real Conditions: jestli and pokud

For something that may genuinely happen, use or the slightly more formal , and put both halves of the sentence in the future. English is content with a present tense after if; Czech is not, and the future has to appear in the conditional clause too.

Jestli budeš chtít, půjdeme.
If you want, we will go.
Jestli si nepospíšíš, zmeškáš vlak.
If you don't hurry, you'll miss the train.
Pokud budete něco potřebovat, zavolejte.
If you need anything, call.

also does this work. It is the everyday word for when, and with a future verb after it the line between when and if simply disappears.

Když se zeptáš, dostaneš odpověď.
If you ask, you will get an answer.

Unreal Conditions: kdyby

For something imagined, unlikely or contrary to fact, use . It is welded to the conditional auxiliary, so it changes for person: . The verb after it is an participle, and the other half of the sentence stands in the conditional as well.

Kdybych byla bohatá, měla bych větší byt.
If I were rich, I'd have a bigger flat.
Kdybys mi to řekla, dala bych ti peníze.
If you'd told me, I'd have given you money.
Kdyby pršelo, zůstali bychom doma.
If it rained, we would stay at home.

Either Order

The condition may come first or second. Either way the two halves are separated by a comma, and nothing else changes.

Zavolal bych ti, kdybych měl čas.
I would call you if I had time.

The Same Content, Two Readings

The choice is not about grammar for its own sake. Put the same thought through both constructions and the second one quietly says that it is not going to happen.

Jestli budu mít čas, přijdu.
If I have time, I'll come.
Kdybych měl čas, přišel bych.
If I had time, I would come.

Negative Conditions

Negation sits on the verb of whichever clause it belongs to, and both clauses can carry it at once. In a real condition the negated verb still stands in the future.

Jestli nebudeš chtít, nepůjdeme.
If you don't want to, we won't go.
Kdybych to nevěděl, zeptal bych se.
If I didn't know, I would ask.

Conditions Without an If

A condition can also be packed into a phrase with no conjunction at all. The main verb still stands in the conditional, which is what marks the sentence as hypothetical.

Na tvém místě bych to nedělala.
In your place I wouldn't do it.
Bez mapy bychom se ztratili.
Without a map we would get lost.

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