B2 · Unit 17 · 43 words, 3 texts with translation
Dream about winning the lottery
Daydream out loud about what you would do if you won the lottery: money, luxuries, gifts and wild nature. Tell a real chance (si tengo) from a dream (si tuviera).
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
If-sentences: si tuviera dinero, compraría un piso
You already know the imperfect subjunctive, the -ra form: tuviera, fuera, pudiera (unit 13), and the conditional, the "would" form: compraría, haría (B1, unit 4). Now we put them together in one sentence.
This is how you daydream and talk about things that aren't true now or probably won't happen: "if I had money", "if I lived by the sea", "if I hit the jackpot".
| The condition: si + imperfect subjunctive | What would happen: conditional (-ría) |
|---|---|
| Si tuviera dinero, | compraría un piso. |
| Si me tocara la lotería, | dejaría el trabajo. |
English works almost the same way: "if" + a past form ("if I had"), then "would" ("I'd buy"). Spanish has its own form for each half, and you can't swap them: after si only tuviera, in the other half only compraría.
- Si viviera cerca del mar, iría a la playa cada mañana. — If I lived near the sea, I'd go to the beach every morning.
- Si fuera millonaria, viajaría todo el año. — If I were a millionaire, I'd travel all year (woman speaking).
- ¿Qué harías si te tocara el gordo? — What would you do if you hit the jackpot?
- Si pudiera, me quedaría una semana más. — If I could, I'd stay one more week.
The two halves can swap places: Iría contigo si no tuviera que trabajar — I'd go with you if I didn't have to work. Use a comma only when si comes first.
Don't let the name fool you: si tuviera is about now or the future, not the past. The set phrase si yo fuera tú (B1) works the same way: "if I were you".
Common mistakes:
- the conditional after si, like English "if I would have": ✗ si tendría dinero → si tuviera dinero. When si means "if", a -ría form never comes right after it;
- the present subjunctive after si: ✗ si tenga → si tuviera. Tenga never comes after si meaning "if".
Si tengo or si tuviera: a real chance or just a dream
You already know si + present, then the future: Si llueve, nos quedaremos en casa — If it rains, we'll stay home (B1, unit 3). Now si has two paths, and it's not grammar that chooses between them, it's you: do you believe the condition can come true?
| I believe it: it may well happen | I don't believe it, or it isn't true now | |
|---|---|---|
| After si | present: si tengo | imperfect subjunctive: si tuviera |
| Second half | future, present or a command: iré, voy, ven | conditional: iría |
English draws the same line: "if I have time, I'll go" and "if I had time, I'd go".
The same Saturday evening:
- Si tengo tiempo el sábado, iré contigo. — If I have time on Saturday, I'll go with you. (I don't know yet, but it may well happen.)
- Si tuviera tiempo el sábado, iría contigo. — If I had time on Saturday, I'd go with you. (I don't have time: this is a polite no.)
The same lottery:
- Si me toca la lotería, te invito a cenar. — If I win the lottery, I'll take you out to dinner. (The ticket is in my pocket, and I'm hoping.)
- Si me tocara la lotería, viajaría por todo el mundo. — If I won the lottery, I'd travel all over the world. (Just a daydream.)
Anything that isn't true right now always takes the second path: si fuera más joven… — "if I were younger…"; Si no estuviera tan cansada, saldría contigo — If I weren't so tired, I'd go out with you (woman speaking).
The yo and él / ella forms are the same: si tuviera means both "if I had" and "if she had". When it's unclear, add yo: si yo tuviera coche… — "if I had a car…".
Don't mix it up with the future. One written accent makes the difference (unit 13):
si me tocara— if I won- me tocará — I'll win
A common mistake is mixing the two paths in one sentence: ✗ si tuviera tiempo, iré → either si tengo tiempo, iré or si tuviera tiempo, iría.
Words in this unit
la lotería — lottery
Compro lotería todas las semanas. — I buy lottery tickets every week.
el sorteo — drawing, raffle
El sorteo es el viernes a las nueve. — The drawing is on Friday at nine.
tocar el gordo — to hit the jackpot, to win the top prize
Todos los años compramos un décimo, pero nunca nos toca el gordo. — Every year we buy a lottery ticket, but we never hit the jackpot.
el/la millonario — millionaire
Mi tío es millonario, pero vive en un piso pequeño. — My uncle is a millionaire, but he lives in a small apartment.
la fortuna — luck, fortune
Tuvo mucha fortuna en la vida. — He had a lot of good fortune in life.
la herencia — inheritance
Mi tía dejó una herencia a sus sobrinos. — My aunt left an inheritance to her nieces and nephews.
donar — to donate, to give
Dono sangre dos veces al año. — I give blood twice a year.
aprovechar — to make the most of, to take advantage of, to use
Aprovecho el fin de semana para descansar. — I use the weekend to rest.
el lujo — luxury
Un viaje así es un lujo. — A trip like that is a luxury.
el capricho — whim, treat
Me di un capricho: compré unos zapatos caros. — I treated myself: I bought some expensive shoes.
la joya — jewel, piece of jewelry
Mi madre guarda sus joyas en una caja. — My mother keeps her jewelry in a box.
el collar — necklace
Lleva un collar de perlas. — She's wearing a pearl necklace.
fundar — to found, to start
Mi abuelo fundó esta tienda en 1980. — My grandfather founded this store in 1980.
explorar — to explore
Me gusta explorar ciudades nuevas. — I like exploring new cities.
dar tiempo — to have time (to do something)
No me da tiempo a comer en el trabajo. — I don't have time to eat lunch at work.
soñar despierto — to daydream
A veces sueño despierto con una casa en la playa. — Sometimes I daydream about a house on the beach (man speaking).
ni en sueños — no way, not in a million years
¿Prestarle mi coche? ¡Ni en sueños! — Lend him my car? No way!
el azar — chance
Los números salen al azar. — The numbers come up at random.
puro — pure; sheer
En la montaña el aire es puro. — In the mountains the air is pure.
la imaginación — imagination
Tienes mucha imaginación. — You have a great imagination.
la fantasía — fantasy
Viajar a la luna es una fantasía. — Traveling to the moon is a fantasy.
el ocio — leisure, free time
El ocio es importante para todos. — Leisure is important for everyone.
la afición — hobby, interest
Mi afición es la fotografía. — My hobby is photography.
la siesta — siesta, afternoon nap
Después de comer, me echo una siesta. — After lunch, I take a nap.
el paraíso — paradise
Esta playa es un paraíso. — This beach is paradise.
el chalé — house, detached house
Vivimos en un chalé con jardín. — We live in a house with a yard.
la ciencia — science
Me interesa mucho la ciencia. — I'm very interested in science.
el/la científico — scientist; scientific
Mi tía es científica. — My aunt is a scientist.
la existencia — existence, life
Nadie sabía de su existencia. — No one knew about his existence.
la selva — jungle, rainforest
En la selva llueve casi todos los días. — In the jungle it rains almost every day.
el desierto — desert
En el desierto hace calor de día y frío de noche. — In the desert it's hot during the day and cold at night.
el océano — ocean
El océano es enorme. — The ocean is huge.
la arena — sand
Me encanta caminar por la arena. — I love walking on the sand.
la roca — rock
Nos sentamos en una roca grande. — We sat on a big rock.
la hierba — grass
Los niños se sientan en la hierba. — The kids sit on the grass.
el valle — valley
Mi pueblo está en un valle. — My village is in a valley.
la colina — hill
Subimos a la colina para ver el atardecer. — We climbed the hill to watch the sunset.
el león — lion
El león es el rey de los animales. — The lion is the king of the animals.
el mono — monkey
En la selva vimos muchos monos. — We saw lots of monkeys in the jungle.
el oso — bear
En la montaña vive un oso. — A bear lives in the mountains.
el lobo — wolf
Los lobos viven en grupos. — Wolves live in groups.
salvaje — wild
Los animales salvajes no son mascotas. — Wild animals aren't pets.
ponerse las pilas — to get your act together, to get going
Tienes que ponerte las pilas si quieres terminar hoy. — You need to get your act together if you want to finish today.
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