Conditional Sentences with اَگَر

01

Real Conditions

If the condition is genuinely possible, the ⁧⁧اَگَر⁩⁩ (agaragaragr) clause takes a subjunctive, and the main clause an ordinary present or future.

• ⁧اَگَر سُوالی بِپُرسید، جَوابی دَریافت می‌کُنید.⁩

  agar sovâli beporsid javâbi daryâft mi-konidagar sovâli beporsid javâbi daryâft mi-konidagr svaly bprsyd jvaby dryaft my-knyd

  If you ask a question, you will get an answer.

• ⁧اَگَر پولِ بیشتَری بِه دَست بیاوَرَم، آپارتِمانِ بُزُرگ‌تَری می‌خَرَم.⁩

  agar pul-e bištari be dast biyâvaram âpârtemân-e bozorg-tari mi-xaramagar pul-e bishtari be dast biyâvaram âpârtemân-e bozorg-tari mi-kharamagr pvl-a byštry bh dst byavrm apartman-a bzrg-try my-xrm

  If I get more money, I will buy a bigger flat.

• ⁧اَگَر عَجَلِه نَکُنی، پَروازِ خُود را اَز دَست خواهی داد.⁩

  agar ʿajale nakoni parvâz-e xod râ az dast xâhi dâdagar 'ajale nakoni parvâz-e khod râ az dast khâhi dâdagr ʿjlh nkny prvaz-a xvd ra az dst xvahy dad

  If you do not hurry, you will miss your flight.

English uses a plain present after "if"; Persian uses the subjunctive, which is the same pattern as after ⁧⁧بایَد⁩⁩ (bâyadbâyadbayd) and ⁧⁧می‌خواهَم⁩⁩ (mi-xâhammi-khâhammy-xvahm).

A simple past can stand in the ⁧⁧اَگَر⁩⁩ (agaragaragr) clause as well, for a condition that will be met before the main action happens.

• ⁧اَگَر چیزی نیاز داشتید، با مَن تَماس بِگیرید.⁩

  agar čizi niyâz dâštid bâ man tamâs begiridagar chizi niyâz dâshtid bâ man tamâs begiridagr čyzy nyaz daštyd ba mn tmas bgyryd

  If you need anything, call me.

02

Unreal Conditions

If the condition did not happen, or could not, both halves of the ⁧⁧اَگَر⁩⁩ (agaragaragr) sentence go into the past - and usually into the past imperfective.

• ⁧اَگَر ثِروَتمَند بودَم، صاحِبِ یِک آپارتِمانِ بُزُرگ‌تَر می‌شُدَم.⁩

  agar ṯervatmand budam ṣâḥeb-e yek âpârtemân-e bozorg-tar mi-šodamagar servatmand budam sâheb-e yek âpârtemân-e bozorg-tar mi-shodamagr ṯrvtmnd bvdm ṣaḥb-a yk apartman-a bzrg-tr my-šdm

  If I were rich, I would own a bigger flat.

• ⁧اَگَر بِه مَن می‌گُفتی، بِه تُو پول می‌دادَم.⁩

  agar be man mi-gofti be to pul mi-dâdamagar be man mi-gofti be to pul mi-dâdamagr bh mn my-gfty bh tv pvl my-dadm

  If you had told me, I would have given you the money.

• ⁧مَن اَگَر جایِ شُما بودَم، این کار را نِمی‌کَردَم.⁩

  man agar jây-e šomâ budam in kâr râ nemi-kardamman agar jây-e shomâ budam in kâr râ nemi-kardammn agr jay-a šma bvdm ayn kar ra nmy-krdm

  If I were you, I would not do this.

There is no separate conditional form to learn. English switches to "would"; Persian simply keeps the past tense going.

03

Wishes with ⁧کاش⁩ (kâš)

⁧⁧کاش⁩⁩ (kâškâshkaš), often preceded by ⁧⁧اِی⁩⁩ (eyeyay), expresses a wish about something that is not so. It takes the past tense, as an unreal condition with ⁧⁧اَگَر⁩⁩ (agaragaragr) does.

• ⁧اِی کاش صَرفِه‌جوتَر بودی.⁩

  ey kâš ṣarfe-jutar budiey kâsh sarfe-jutar budiay kaš ṣrfh-jvtr bvdy

  I wish you were thriftier.

04

Concession

⁧⁧با وُجودِ اینکِه⁩⁩ (bâ vojud-e inkebâ vojud-e inkeba vjvd-a aynkh) is "although" - the condition granted and then set aside.

• ⁧با وُجودِ اینکِه دَرس نَخواندَم، دَر اِمتِحان قَبول شُدَم.⁩

  bâ vojud-e inke dars naxândam dar emteḥân qabul šodambâ vojud-e inke dars nakhândam dar emtehân qabul shodamba vjvd-a aynkh drs nxvandm dr amtḥan qbvl šdm

  Although I did not study, I passed the exam.

05

Order

The ⁧⁧اَگَر⁩⁩ (agaragaragr) clause normally comes first, as in English, but either order is possible.