Spanish Conversation · Level 2
86 words
Spanish word
si
Pronunciation
IPA/si/
Meaning
- conjunctionif
Example
Habla conmigo si tienes tiempo.
Talk to me if you have time.
More examples
No sé si vendrá mañana.
I don't know whether he will come tomorrow.
Core concept
A conditional switch that lets one outcome occur only if a requirement holds.
Common phrases
no sé si
don't know whether
como si
as though
si te parece
if that suits you
Similar words
cuando: Moment in time when an event takes place.
en caso de que: Precautionary conditional for a possible event that may or may not occur.
a menos que: Negative condition that prevents an outcome unless a specified condition occurs.
siempre que: Condition that permits an action only when the requirement is fulfilled.
Definition in Spanish
Introduce una condición o posibilidad y sirve para expresar una situación supuesta, pudiendo ir con indicativo o subjuntivo según si la condición es real o hipotética.
Word origin
It comes from Latin sī (long ī) and is preserved in Spanish via Old Spanish as the basic conditional conjunction.
Usage tips
- In set phrases like por si acaso ('in case'), si works as 'in case' rather than forming a full hypothetical clause.
Other meanings
- whetherconjunction
- supposingconjunction