Repase y escriba - PROGRAM SAMPLER

156 CAPÍTuLO 6 2 If clauses that introduce a verb that is neither contrary to fact nor unlikely to take place use the indicative. Si se llega temprano al cine, se consigue If one gets to the movies early, one gets un buen asiento. a good seat. Si no trabajábamos, no nos pagaban. If we didn’t work, we didn’t get paid. Si me prestas tu bicicleta, te la If you lend me your bicycle, I’ll devuelvo mañana. return it to you tomorrow. THE ALTERNATE FORM: DE + INFINITIVE De + simple infinitive or de + compound infinitive is sometimes used instead of a si clause, especially in the case of contrary-to-fact conditions. De tener más tiempo (Si tuviéramos más If we had more time, he would go tiempo), iríamos también a Cuzco. to Cuzco too. De no haber habido (Si no hubiera habido) If there hadn’t been such a long una sequía tan larga, los mochicas no draught the mochicas wouldn’t habrían desaparecido. had become extinguished. Note that the subject generally follows the verb in this construction. COMO SI + SUBJUNCTIVE Como si ( as if ) always presents a contrary-to-fact or hypothetical situation and it takes ei- ther the imperfect or the pluperfect subjunctive. The imperfect refers to an action or state that is coincident in time with the main verb; the pluperfect indicates an action or state prior to the main verb. Gasta dinero como si fuera rico. He spends money as if he were rich. La tumba era muy grande, como si The tomb was very large as if it perteneciera a un jefe importante. belonged to an important chief. Ella cuenta lo que pasó como si She tells what happened as if she hubiese estado allí. had been there. Lo llamé, pero siguió caminando como I called him, but he kept on walking si no me hubiera oído. as if he hadn’t heard me. NI QUE + IMPERFECT OR PLUPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE Ni que is generally used in elliptical exclamatory statements and always precedes an imper- fect subjunctive or pluperfect subjunctive verb. Its translation into English varies according to the context. ¿Vas a salir en medio de esta Are you going out in the middle tormenta? ¡Ni que estuvieras loca! of this storm? Anybody would think that you are crazy! Carmen pensaba que creeríamos su Carmen thought we would believe historia. ¡Ni que fuésemos tontos! her story. As if we were fools! Luis estaba enterado de todo. ¡Ni que Luis knew about everything. It’s as if he hubiese oído lo que dijimos! had heard what we said!