Conditional Sentences with اَگَر

01

Real Conditions

If it 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 b dst byyavrm 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 ʿjl nkny prvaz-a xd ra az dst xahy 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-xahm).

02

Unreal Conditions

If it did not happen, or could not, both halves 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 b mn my-gfty b t 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 same past tense.

• ⁧اِی کاش صَرفِه‌جوتَر بودی.⁩

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

  I wish you were thriftier.

04

Concession

⁧⁧با وُجودِ اینکِه⁩⁩ (bâ vojud-e inkebâ vojud-e inkeba vjvd-a aynk) 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 aynk drs nxandm 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.