Anis Étoilé

[mental peak]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

[glass geyser]

Si + présent + futur presents a scenario that is possible.
Si + imparfait + conditionnel presents a scenario that is not possible.
Have a look at this article, hopefully it clears things up for you: https://www.laits.utexas.edu/tex/pdf/tac3.pdf

[covert scaffold]

thanks! so am i correct in understanding that if i say

Si ton travail ne te tuait pas, je te tuerais

it implies that the recipient is already dead

[glass geyser]

In this case, I’m not sure if the recipient is implied to be dead; the sentence seems to imply that the scenario isn’t possible

Or at least unlikely to occur

[covert scaffold]

i see

but based on the article, it would be that implication if it was pluperfect

Si ton travail ne t'avait pas tué, je t'aurais tué

if your work hadn't killed you, i would've done it myself

[glass geyser]

Sorry, I’m not sure how best to explain it- let’s wait for someone else to take another look

[wary rose]

If you're happy in English, it's the same difference.

If I am in the area, I'll visit you

A promise of something that will be done if the condition is met

If I were in the area, I would visit you

A hypothetical that can't be fulfilled. This is said in the present about a present time, for example, to a friend on the phone taking about being in a new place.

If I had been in the area, I would have visited you.

A past situation that could have happened, but did not.

I'd say you can pretty much think English here and get the difference just fine.