# Esperanto: If Oswald had not shot Kennedy, then someone else would have



## Akasaka

Hello members,

I am wondering how to use subjunctives in Esperanto.  For example, how would you say, "_If Oswald had not shot Kennedy, then someone else would have."?_

Thanks in advance.


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## wildan1

You are talking about verbal moods--and Esperanto has three:


> The conditional mood is used for such expressions as _se mi povus, mi irus_ (if I could, I would go) and _se mi estus vi, mi irus_ (if I were you, I'd go).


Source


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## Akasaka

Thanks, wildan1.
"Se mi povus, mi irus." is different from "If I could have, I would have gone," isn't it?
I am wondering how to refer to the past, like, the first sentence "If Oswald had not shot ...."


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## jazyk

I think it would be:

Se Oswald ne pafintus Kennedy, iu alia pafintus lin. 

_mi kaptintus_
(I would have caught)
Esperanto grammar - Wikipedia


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## Akasaka

Thanks jazyk.  So in Esperanto you you use the same construction, whether you are talking about the present or past.


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## jazyk

No, the present would be with - us: Se mia najbaro pafus sian edzinon, mi telefonus al la polico. If my neighbor shot his wife, I'd call the police.


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## Akasaka

Thanks again, jazyk.  If so, how do you say, "If my neighbor had shot his wife, I would have called the police."?


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## jazyk

With the same structure I suggested in the Kennedy sentence: Se mia najbaro pafintus sian edzinon, mi telefonintus al la polico.


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