# FR: If I had to choose, I would become



## bbailey282

Hey!

I'm trying to say, "I respect his love for his family, but if I had to choose,I would have become a member of the resistance..."

"Je respecte son amour pour sa famille, mais si je devrais choisir, je choisirais de devenir membre de la résistance"


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## Maître Capello

Your tenses in English are incorrect I think. It should be either _if I *had* to choose, I would *become*…_or _if I *had had* to choose, I would *have become*…_

Anyway, I think you meant the former and the translation in French is straightforward, using the exact same tenses, namely:

_si je *devais* _(imperfect) _choisir, je *choisirais*_ (conditional)_…_


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## tilt

Just remember this simple rule : never _si _and conditional tense in the same clause.

_Si je *devais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais*__…_ (imparfait, then conditional) 
_Je *devrais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais*__…_ (conditional, twice) 
_Si je *devrais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais*__… 
_


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## Thomas Tompion

tilt said:


> Just remember this simple rule : never _si _and conditional tense in the same clause.
> 
> _Si je *devais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais*__…_ (imparfait, then conditional)
> _Je *devrais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais*__…_ (conditional, twice)
> _Si je *devrais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais*__… _


As a matter of interest, Tilt, are there circumstances where one can put the conditional after si? Is Si je devrais choisir.... always wrong?


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## tilt

Thomas Tompion said:


> As a matter of interest, Tilt, are there circumstances where one can put the conditional after si? Is Si je devrais choisir.... always wrong?


As far as I can say, yes, this is always wrong.
It sound terribly awful!


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## roymail

Yes, it's always wrong if _*si*_ is a _*conditional *_one.

It's correct in _je t'ai demandé si tu viendrais._


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## bbailey282

Thank you guys so much! My poor little english brain is having a very difficult time figuring out si clauses!


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## Glat64

Me too bbailey! Why does Si make so much difference ??

_Je *devrais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais*__…_ (conditional, twice) 
_Si je *devrais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais*__… _

Out of interest in what type of sentence would 'conditional twice' work without the si ? Sorry to be lazy here, but experience has taught me that if I go off in search of some kind of explanation elsewhere I'll just end up even more confused 

Merci


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## Maître Capello

Glat64 said:


> Why does Si make so much difference ??


Just ask yourself why "If" makes such a big difference in English! 

_Je devais choisir_ = I had to choose
_Je dev*r*ais choisir_ = *Should* I have to choose 
_*Si* je devais choisir_ = *If* I had to choose


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## Glat64

Maître Capello said:


> Just ask yourself why "If" makes such a big difference in English!
> 
> _Je devais choisir_ = I had to choose
> _Je dev*r*ais choisir_ = *Should* I have to choose
> _*Si* je devais choisir_ = *If* I had to choose



Hi there but in English it makes sense doesn't it ? 

_Si je *devrais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais = *If I would have to choose, I would choose_.

Or am I making a glaringly obvious faux pas here


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## chicoguapo16

Glat64 said:


> Hi there but in English it makes sense doesn't it ?
> 
> _Si je *devrais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais = *If I would have to choose, I would choose_.
> 
> Or am I making a glaringly obvious faux pas here



It probably would be understood if you said it this way in English, but it isn't grammatically correct. In French, you cannot follow si with the conditional tense when you are you are using the if/then construction.  In cases where the conditional is being used as the "future of the past," you may. Je t'ai demandé si tu viendrais- the example of this given earlier. 

With si clauses you only have a few options...

1) Si+ présent, présent.
2) Si+ présent, futur.
3) Si+ imparfait, conditionnelle.
4) Si+ plus-que-parfait, conditionnelle parfait.

Your sentence requires number 3. If the hypothetical situation took place in the past, you would use number 4. 

Si j'avais dû choisir, j'aurais choisi... If I had had to choose, I would have chosen...


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## Glat64

Wow, complicated. But much clearer now after that. Thank you


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## chicoguapo16

It is indeed complicated at first, Glat64, but once you wrap your head around the concept it will become clearer. If you have other doubts on the topic I'm sure there are many threads that already exist. Otherwise, feel free to open a new thread with a specific question and I'll help you out the best I can!


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## Glat64

Thanks again. Thats very kind of you to offer - your help is much appreciated


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## Thomas Tompion

chicoguapo16 said:


> It probably would be understood if you said it this way in English, but it isn't grammatically correct. In French, you cannot follow si with the conditional tense when you are you are using the if/then construction.  In cases where the conditional is being used as the "future of the past," you may. Je t'ai demandé si tu viendrais- the example of this given earlier.
> 
> With si clauses you only have a few options...
> 
> 1) Si+ présent, présent.
> 2) Si+ présent, futur.
> 3) Si+ imparfait, conditionnelle.
> 4) Si+ plus-que-parfait, conditionnelle parfait.
> 
> Your sentence requires number 3. If the hypothetical situation took place in the past, you would use number 4.
> 
> Si j'avais dû choisir, j'aurais choisi... If I had had to choose, I would have chosen...


You've overlooked *si + pluperfect subjunctive*, so common in Proust, viz:
*
 Car s'il eût été le moins du monde de mèche avec Albertine, il ne m'eût jamais   avoué qu'il l'avait laissée libre de onze heures du matin à six heures du soir. *_La Prisonnière
_


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## Maître Capello

Glat64 said:


> Hi there but in English it makes sense doesn't it ?
> _Si je *devrais*_ _choisir, je *choisirais = *If I would have to choose, I would choose_.
> Or am I making a glaringly obvious faux pas here


Both English and French natives often use the conditional in _if/si_ clauses, but it is indeed incorrect in either language!

_*If* I would have to choose, I would choose_.  → _If I *had to* choose, I would choose._ 
_*Si* je devrais_ _choisir, je choisirais_.  → _Si je *devais*_ _choisir, je choisirais_.


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## The Broken Rib Inn

Thomas Tompion said:


> You've overlooked *si + pluperfect subjunctive*, so common in Proust, viz:
> *
> Car s'il eût été le moins du monde de mèche avec Albertine, il ne m'eût jamais   avoué qu'il l'avait laissée libre de onze heures du matin à six heures du soir. *_La Prisonnière
> _



This is not pluperfect subjonctive, but past conditional 2nd form (il ne m'aurait jamais avoué)


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## Maître Capello

Actually, the past conditional 2nd form doesn't really exist: it is only another name for the pluperfect subjunctive when used as a past conditional. In other words, in the above example, _il ne m'eût jamais avoué_ could possibly be referred to as a past conditional 2nd form, but definitely not the verb in the _si_ clause (_s'il eût été_) because it would be incorrect to use a past conditional there.


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