Free lessonLevel B19 min read12 practice words

If and Would: Conditional Sentences

Plans that may happen, situations you can only imagine, and polite wishes. Two patterns cover almost every “if” you will need: אִם with the future, and הָיִיתִי with the present form.

Hebrew has no separate word for “would”. The past of הָיָה plus the present form does the job: הָיִיתִי בָּא, “I would come”.

Real conditions: אִם + futureit may happen

A condition that may really happen

You are making plans: maybe your friend will come, maybe it will rain. Grammar books call this a real condition (תְּנַאי קַיָּם): it may or may not happen, and you say what follows if it does.

Hebrew puts both halves in the future: אִם תָּבוֹא, נִשְׂמַח, “if you come, we'll be glad”. The result can also be a request, using the future the way Israelis do in speech: אִם תִּצְטָרֵךְ עֶזְרָה, תַּגִּיד לִי.

In speech Israelis often open the result with אָז (then): אִם תָּבוֹא, אָז נֵלֵךְ יַחַד.

The pattern

The pattern
Part	Pattern	Example
the condition	אִם + future verb	אִם תָּבוֹא,
the result	future verb	נִשְׂמַח.
the result as a request	future used as a request	תַּגִּיד לִי.
the result first	future + אִם + future	נִשְׂמַח אִם תָּבוֹא.

When the אִם clause comes first, a comma closes it. When it comes second, no comma is needed.

Everyday plans

אִם תָּבוֹא, נִשְׂמַח.

im tavo, nismakh

If you come, we'll be glad.

אִם יֵרֵד גֶּשֶׁם, נִשָּׁאֵר בַּבַּיִת.

im yered geshem, nisha’er ba-bayit

If it rains, we'll stay at home.

אִם תִּצְטָרֵךְ עֶזְרָה, תַּגִּיד לִי.

im titstarekh ezra, tagid li

If you need help, tell me.

נְאַחֵר אִם לֹא נֵצֵא עַכְשָׁיו.

ne’akher im lo netse akhshav

We'll be late if we don't leave now.

אִם יִהְיֶה לִי זְמַן, אֶתְקַשֵּׁר אֵלֶיךָ.

im yihye li zman, etkasher elekha

If I have time, I'll call you.

Why the future, when English uses the present?

English says “if you come” in the present, even though the coming is still ahead. Hebrew follows real time: the coming hasn't happened yet, so it is in the future. You met this rule briefly in the Future Tense lesson, and it is the same logic as כְּשֶׁ in the Connectors lesson: כְּשֶׁאֶגְמֹר, אֶתְקַשֵּׁר, “when I finish, I'll call”.

Always or right now: אִם + present

The tense follows real time

Not every condition is about the future. For rules and things that are always true, Hebrew uses the present on both sides, just like English: אִם אֵין פְּקָקִים, הַנְּסִיעָה לוֹקַחַת חֲצִי שָׁעָה.

The present also covers a condition that is true right now: אִם אַתָּה עָיֵף, לֵךְ לִישֹׁן. So ask one question: when is the condition true? Later, use the future. Always or now, use the present.

Even a past verb is possible when you don't know what has already happened: אִם הוּא כְּבָר יָצָא, הוּא יַגִּיעַ בְּקָרוֹב.

One question picks the tense

One question picks the tense
When is the condition true?	After אִם	Example
later, maybe	future	אִם תָּבוֹא מָחָר
always (a rule)	present	אִם אֵין פְּקָקִים
right now	present	אִם אַתָּה עָיֵף
maybe already (you don't know)	past	אִם הוּא כְּבָר יָצָא

Rules, facts and the present moment

אִם אֵין פְּקָקִים, הַנְּסִיעָה לוֹקַחַת חֲצִי שָׁעָה.

im ein pkakim, ha-nesia lokakhat khatsi sha’a

If there's no traffic, the drive takes half an hour.

אִם אַתָּה גָּר בְּתֵל אָבִיב, אַתָּה לֹא צָרִיךְ אוֹטוֹ.

im ata gar be-Tel Aviv, ata lo tsarikh oto

If you live in Tel Aviv, you don't need a car.

אִם אַתָּה עָיֵף, לֵךְ לִישֹׁן.

im ata ayef, lekh lishon

If you're tired, go to sleep.

אִם אַתְּ רוֹצָה, אֲנִי יָכוֹל לְהַסִּיעַ אוֹתָךְ.

im at rotsa, ani yakhol lehasi’a otakh

If you want, I can give you a ride (a man to a woman).

אִם הוּא כְּבָר יָצָא, הוּא יַגִּיעַ בְּקָרוֹב.

im hu kvar yatsa, hu yagi’a be-karov

If he has already left, he'll arrive soon.

Not the same as “whether”

In the Connectors lesson אִם also meant “whether”: אֲנִי לֹא יוֹדֵעַ אִם הוּא בַּבַּיִת. That אִם opens an indirect question after verbs like know or ask. This lesson is about the other אִם, the one that sets a condition.

Quick check

1 of 4

“If you finish early tomorrow, call me.”

אִם ___ מֻקְדָּם מָחָר, תִּתְקַשֵּׁר אֵלַי.

Imagined conditions: הָיִיתִי + present formit isn't happening

Hebrew's “would”

Some conditions are only imagined: you don't have time, you aren't rich, it isn't happening. Grammar books call this an unreal condition (תְּנַאי בָּטֵל). Hebrew has no word for “would”. It combines the past of הָיָה with the present form of the verb.

Use it in both halves: אִם הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ, הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ, “if I knew, I would tell you”. הָיָה changes with the person (הָיִיתִי, הָיִיתָ, הָיְתָה…), and the present form agrees in gender and number, exactly as in the Present Tense lesson.

When the condition has no verb, as with יֵשׁ, an adjective or a place, it is simply the past of הָיָה: אִם הָיָה לִי זְמַן (if I had time), אִם הָיִיתִי עָשִׁיר, אִם הוּא הָיָה כָּאן.

Real: it may happen

אִם יִהְיֶה לִי זְמַן, אָבוֹא.

im yihye li zman, avo

If I have time, I'll come. (Maybe I will.)

Unreal: it isn't happening

אִם הָיָה לִי זְמַן, הָיִיתִי בָּא.

im haya li zman, hayiti ba

If I had time, I would come. (I don't have time.)

The “would” form of לָבוֹא

The “would” form of לָבוֹא
Person	Form	Meaning
אֲנִי	הָיִיתִי בָּא / בָּאָה	I would come
אַתָּה	הָיִיתָ בָּא	you (m.) would come
אַתְּ	הָיִית בָּאָה	you (f.) would come
הוּא	הָיָה בָּא	he would come
הִיא	הָיְתָה בָּאָה	she would come
אֲנַחְנוּ	הָיִינוּ בָּאִים / בָּאוֹת	we would come
אַתֶּם / אַתֶּן	הֱיִיתֶם בָּאִים / הֱיִיתֶן בָּאוֹת	you (pl.) would come
הֵם / הֵן	הָיוּ בָּאִים / בָּאוֹת	they would come

The present form shows gender: a woman says הָיִיתִי בָּאָה, a group of women says הָיִינוּ בָּאוֹת.

Sentences to read aloud

אִם הָיִיתִי עָשִׁיר, הָיִיתִי גָּר לְיַד הַיָּם.

im hayiti ashir, hayiti gar leyad ha-yam

If I were rich, I would live by the sea.

אִם הִיא הָיְתָה יוֹדַעַת עִבְרִית, הִיא הָיְתָה מְבִינָה הַכֹּל.

im hi hayta yoda’at ivrit, hi hayta mevina ha-kol

If she knew Hebrew, she would understand everything.

אִם הַדִּירָה הָיְתָה יוֹתֵר גְּדוֹלָה, הָיִינוּ מַזְמִינִים אֶת כֻּלָּם.

im ha-dira hayta yoter gdola, hayinu mazminim et kulam

If the apartment were bigger, we would invite everyone.

מָה הָיִיתָ עוֹשֶׂה בִּמְקוֹמִי?

ma hayita ose bi-mkomi?

What would you do in my place?

הָיִיתִי שׁוֹתָה קָפֶה, אֲבָל אֵין חָלָב.

hayiti shota kafe, aval ein khalav

I'd have a coffee, but there's no milk (a woman speaking). The condition is understood, so it isn't said.

Now or then? Context decides

One form, two English tenses

English has two imagined forms: “if I knew, I would come” (now) and “if I had known, I would have come” (then). Hebrew has only one: אִם הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ, הָיִיתִי בָּא can mean either.

The situation and the time words decide. When you talk about something that is already over (אֶתְמוֹל, אָז, בַּשָּׁנָה שֶׁעָבְרָה), the same sentence means “would have”.

You already know one example from the Modals lesson: הָיִיתָ צָרִיךְ לְהַגִּיד לִי, “you should have told me”.

About now

אִם הָיָה לִי כֶּסֶף עַכְשָׁיו, הָיִיתִי קוֹנֶה דִּירָה.

im haya li kesef akhshav, hayiti kone dira

If I had money now, I would buy an apartment.

About the past

אִם הָיָה לִי כֶּסֶף אָז, הָיִיתִי קוֹנֶה דִּירָה.

im haya li kesef az, hayiti kone dira

If I had had money back then, I would have bought an apartment.

One Hebrew form, two English ones

One Hebrew form, two English ones
Hebrew	About now	About the past
אִם הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ	if I knew	if I had known
הָיִיתִי בָּא	I would come	I would have come
לֹא הָיִינוּ מְאַחֲרִים	we wouldn't be late	we wouldn't have been late

Looking back

אִם הָיִיתָ אוֹמֵר לִי אֶתְמוֹל, הָיִיתִי עוֹזֵר לְךָ.

im hayita omer li etmol, hayiti ozer lekha

If you had told me yesterday, I would have helped you.

אִם לֹא הָיָה פְּקָק, הָיִינוּ מַגִּיעִים בַּזְּמַן.

im lo haya pkak, hayinu magi’im ba-zman

If there hadn't been a traffic jam, we would have arrived on time.

חֲבָל! הָיִיתִי בָּאָה, אֲבָל אַף אֶחָד לֹא אָמַר לִי.

khaval! hayiti ba’a, aval af ekhad lo amar li

Too bad! I would have come, but nobody told me (a woman speaking).

The same form can also mean “used to”

Outside a condition, הָיִיתִי + present form can describe a habit in the past. If there is no אִם and nothing imagined, read it as “used to”:

כְּשֶׁהָיִיתִי יֶלֶד, הָיִיתִי הוֹלֵךְ לַיָּם כָּל יוֹם.

kshe-hayiti yeled, hayiti holekh la-yam kol yom

When I was a kid, I used to go to the beach every day.

לוּ, אִלּוּ and “unless”recognise

Formal words for imagined conditions

לוּ and אִלּוּ also mean “if”, but only an imagined one: they never introduce a real “maybe”. After them comes exactly the structure you just learned: לוּ הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ, הָיִיתִי בָּא קֹדֶם.

The difference from אִם is register. In conversation Israelis use אִם for both kinds of condition; לוּ and אִלּוּ belong to writing, speeches, the news and literature. Recognise them, and say אִם when you speak.

In literary Hebrew a plain past can follow לוּ or אִלּוּ: לוּ יָדַעְתִּי… (had I known…). You only need to recognise it.

Which “if” where

Which “if” where
Word	Used for	Where you hear it
אִם	real and imagined conditions	everywhere, the default in speech
לוּ	imagined conditions only	literature, songs, formal speech
אִלּוּ	imagined conditions only	formal writing, the news

Without nikud, אִלּוּ is written אילו, the same letters as the question word אֵילוּ (which?). Context tells them apart.

In speech

אִם הָיָה לָנוּ עוֹד זְמַן, הָיִינוּ גּוֹמְרִים אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה.

im haya lanu od zman, hayinu gomrim et ha-avoda

If we had more time, we'd finish the job.

In formal writing

אִלּוּ הָיָה לָנוּ זְמַן רַב יוֹתֵר, הָיִינוּ מְסַיְּמִים אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה.

ilu haya lanu zman rav yoter, hayinu mesaymim et ha-avoda

The same idea in a formal register: אִלּוּ, זְמַן רַב יוֹתֵר and מְסַיְּמִים instead of אִם, עוֹד זְמַן and גּוֹמְרִים.

If not, unless: אִם לֹא and אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן

A negative condition is simply אִם לֹא. For “unless”, Hebrew has the fixed phrase אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן, followed by the same tense you would use after אִם.

אִם לֹא תָּבוֹא, נַתְחִיל בִּלְעָדֶיךָ.

im lo tavo, natkhil bil’adekha

If you don't come, we'll start without you.

נֵצֵא בְּשֶׁבַע, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יֵרֵד גֶּשֶׁם.

netse be-sheva, ela im ken yered geshem

We'll leave at seven, unless it rains.

הַחֲנוּת פְּתוּחָה עַד עֶשֶׂר, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יֵשׁ חַג.

ha-khanut ptukha ad eser, ela im ken yesh khag

The shop is open until ten, unless there's a holiday.

In speech אִם לֹא often does the same job: נֵצֵא בְּשֶׁבַע, אִם לֹא יֵרֵד גֶּשֶׁם.

Polite requests and wishessofter speech

“Would” makes you sound polite

The imagined form also works without אִם. Like “would” and “could” in English, it softens what you say: הָיִיתִי רוֹצֶה קָפֶה (I'd like a coffee) is gentler than אֲנִי רוֹצֶה קָפֶה.

Use it to ask a favour (הָיִיתָ יָכוֹל…?), to give advice tactfully (הָיִיתִי מַמְלִיץ…), or to say what you would do in someone's place (אֲנִי הָיִיתִי…).

תּוּכַל לַעֲזֹר לִי? from the Modals lesson is polite too; הָיִיתָ יָכוֹל לַעֲזֹר לִי? sounds a touch softer.

Polite phrases

Polite phrases
Phrase	Use it to	Example
הָיִיתִי רוֹצֶה / רוֹצָה	order or ask softly: “I'd like to book a table for two”	הָיִיתִי רוֹצֶה לְהַזְמִין שֻׁלְחָן לִשְׁנַיִם.
הָיִיתָ יָכוֹל / הָיִית יְכוֹלָה	ask a favour: “could you close the window?” (to a woman)	הָיִית יְכוֹלָה לִסְגֹּר אֶת הַחַלּוֹן?
הָיִיתִי מַמְלִיץ / מַמְלִיצָה	give advice: “I'd recommend booking in advance” (a woman)	הָיִיתִי מַמְלִיצָה לְהַזְמִין מֵרֹאשׁ.
אֲנִי הָיִיתִי…	say what you'd do: “I'd take the blue one”	אֲנִי הָיִיתִי לוֹקֵחַ אֶת הַכָּחֹל.

Wishes with הַלְוַאי

הַלְוַאי means “I wish” or “if only”, and it is usually followed by שֶׁ. The verb after it follows the logic of this lesson: the future for a hope that can still come true, הָיִיתִי + present form for a wish against reality.

תְּקַבֵּל אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה? — הַלְוַאי!

tekabel et ha-avoda? — halevai!

Will you get the job? — I hope so!

הַלְוַאי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֶזֶג אֲוִיר טוֹב מָחָר.

halevai she-yihye mezeg avir tov makhar

I hope the weather is good tomorrow.

Future: it can still happen.

הַלְוַאי שֶׁהָיִיתִי יָכוֹל לָבוֹא.

halevai she-hayiti yakhol lavo

I wish I could come.

הָיִיתִי + present form: I can't come.

הַלְוַאי שֶׁהָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ אֶת זֶה קֹדֶם.

halevai she-hayiti yode’a et ze kodem

I wish I had known that earlier.

The same form, about the past.

On its own, הַלְוַאי is the everyday reply “I hope so!”. הַלְוַאי עָלַי means “I should be so lucky!”, said when you hear about someone else's good fortune.

Quick check

1 of 5

“If I had a car, I would drive to Eilat.”

אִם הָיָה לִי אוֹטוֹ, ___ לְאֵילַת.

Common mistakes and summary

Five mistakes worth fixing now

אִם יֵשׁ לִי זְמַן מָחָר, אָבוֹאאִם יִהְיֶה לִי זְמַן מָחָר, אָבוֹא
A condition that is still ahead takes the future, even though English says “if I have”. You will hear the present in casual speech, but the future is always correct.
אִם הָיָה לִי זְמַן, אָבוֹאאִם הָיָה לִי זְמַן, הָיִיתִי בָּא
An imagined condition needs the “would” form in the result too: הָיִיתִי + present form.
אִם הָיִיתִי יוֹדַעַת, הָיִיתִי בָּאאִם הָיִיתִי יוֹדַעַת, הָיִיתִי בָּאָה
The present form agrees with the speaker in both halves: a woman says בָּאָה.
לוּ תָּבוֹא, נִשְׂמַחאִם תָּבוֹא, נִשְׂמַח
לוּ and אִלּוּ are only for imagined conditions. A real “maybe” takes אִם.
הַלְוַאי שֶׁאֲנִי יָכוֹל לָבוֹאהַלְוַאי שֶׁהָיִיתִי יָכוֹל לָבוֹא
A wish against reality takes הָיִיתִי + present form. For a hope that may come true, use the future: הַלְוַאי שֶׁאוּכַל.

What to take away

It may happen: אִם + future, and the result in the future too: אִם תָּבוֹא, נִשְׂמַח.
Always true or true right now: אִם + present. The tense after אִם follows real time.
Only imagined: הָיִיתִי + present form in both halves. With יֵשׁ, an adjective or a place, just the past of הָיָה: אִם הָיָה לִי…
One form covers “would” and “would have”. Context and time words decide; without a condition it can mean “used to”.
לוּ and אִלּוּ are the formal “if” for imagined conditions. הָיִיתִי רוֹצֶה softens a request, and הַלְוַאי makes a wish.

Practice the words from this lesson

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12 words

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Test yourself: If: אם and לו

8 questions from the whole lesson, about 3 min. Score 70% or more and the lesson counts as done.

Tip: answer with the number keys 1–4.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say “would” in Hebrew?: There is no separate word. Use the past of הָיָה plus the present form of the verb: הָיִיתִי בָּא (I would come), הִיא הָיְתָה בָּאָה (she would come). Both parts agree with the subject. The same form also means “would have”, depending on context.
What is the difference between אִם, לוּ and אִלּוּ?: אִם is the everyday “if” and works for both real and imagined conditions. לוּ and אִלּוּ are used only for imagined conditions and sound formal or literary. In conversation, אִם הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ… is completely natural; לוּ הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ… is what you read in a book.
Why does Hebrew use the future after אִם?: Because Hebrew marks real time. In “if you come tomorrow” the coming hasn't happened yet, so Hebrew says אִם תָּבוֹא. English keeps the present only by convention. When the condition is true now or always, Hebrew uses the present too: אִם אַתָּה עָיֵף, לֵךְ לִישֹׁן.
What does הַלְוַאי mean and how do I use it?: הַלְוַאי means “I wish”, “if only” or “I hope so”. Alone it is a reply: הַלְוַאי! For a hope that can still come true, add שֶׁ + future: הַלְוַאי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֶזֶג אֲוִיר טוֹב. For a wish against reality, use הָיִיתִי + present form: הַלְוַאי שֶׁהָיִיתִי יָכוֹל לָבוֹא.

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Relative ClausesOne prefix for who, which and that, plus formal אשר.

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Real conditions: אִם + future
Always or right now: אִם + present
Imagined conditions: הָיִיתִי + present form (Free account)
Now or then? Context decides (Free account)
לוּ, אִלּוּ and “unless” (Free account)
Polite requests and wishes (Free account)
Common mistakes and summary (Free account)
Practice game (Free account)
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Questions

If and Would: Conditional Sentences

Plans that may happen, situations you can only imagine, and polite wishes. Two patterns cover almost every “if” you will need: אִם with the future, and הָיִיתִי with the present form.

Hebrew has no separate word for “would”. The past of הָיָה plus the present form does the job: הָיִיתִי בָּא, “I would come”.

Part

Pattern

Example

the condition

אִם + future verb

אִם תָּבוֹא,

the result

future verb

נִשְׂמַח.

the result as a request

future used as a request

תַּגִּיד לִי.

the result first

future + אִם + future

נִשְׂמַח אִם תָּבוֹא.

When is the condition true?

After אִם

Example

later, maybe

future

אִם תָּבוֹא מָחָר

always (a rule)

present

אִם אֵין פְּקָקִים

right now

present

אִם אַתָּה עָיֵף

maybe already (you don't know)

past

אִם הוּא כְּבָר יָצָא

Person

Form

Meaning

אֲנִי

הָיִיתִי בָּא / בָּאָה

I would come

אַתָּה

הָיִיתָ בָּא

you (m.) would come

אַתְּ

הָיִית בָּאָה

you (f.) would come

הוּא

הָיָה בָּא

he would come

הִיא

הָיְתָה בָּאָה

she would come

אֲנַחְנוּ

הָיִינוּ בָּאִים / בָּאוֹת

we would come

אַתֶּם / אַתֶּן

הֱיִיתֶם בָּאִים / הֱיִיתֶן בָּאוֹת

you (pl.) would come

הֵם / הֵן

הָיוּ בָּאִים / בָּאוֹת

they would come

Hebrew

About now

About the past

אִם הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ

if I knew

if I had known

הָיִיתִי בָּא

I would come

I would have come

לֹא הָיִינוּ מְאַחֲרִים

we wouldn't be late

we wouldn't have been late

Word

Used for

Where you hear it

אִם

real and imagined conditions

everywhere, the default in speech

לוּ

imagined conditions only

literature, songs, formal speech

אִלּוּ

imagined conditions only

formal writing, the news

Phrase

Use it to

Example

הָיִיתִי רוֹצֶה / רוֹצָה

order or ask softly: “I'd like to book a table for two”

הָיִיתִי רוֹצֶה לְהַזְמִין שֻׁלְחָן לִשְׁנַיִם.

הָיִיתָ יָכוֹל / הָיִית יְכוֹלָה

ask a favour: “could you close the window?” (to a woman)

הָיִית יְכוֹלָה לִסְגֹּר אֶת הַחַלּוֹן?

הָיִיתִי מַמְלִיץ / מַמְלִיצָה

give advice: “I'd recommend booking in advance” (a woman)

הָיִיתִי מַמְלִיצָה לְהַזְמִין מֵרֹאשׁ.

אֲנִי הָיִיתִי…

say what you'd do: “I'd take the blue one”

אֲנִי הָיִיתִי לוֹקֵחַ אֶת הַכָּחֹל.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say “would” in Hebrew?

There is no separate word. Use the past of הָיָה plus the present form of the verb: הָיִיתִי בָּא (I would come), הִיא הָיְתָה בָּאָה (she would come). Both parts agree with the subject. The same form also means “would have”, depending on context.

What is the difference between אִם, לוּ and אִלּוּ?

אִם is the everyday “if” and works for both real and imagined conditions. לוּ and אִלּוּ are used only for imagined conditions and sound formal or literary. In conversation, אִם הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ… is completely natural; לוּ הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ… is what you read in a book.

Why does Hebrew use the future after אִם?

Because Hebrew marks real time. In “if you come tomorrow” the coming hasn't happened yet, so Hebrew says אִם תָּבוֹא. English keeps the present only by convention. When the condition is true now or always, Hebrew uses the present too: אִם אַתָּה עָיֵף, לֵךְ לִישֹׁן.

What does הַלְוַאי mean and how do I use it?

הַלְוַאי means “I wish”, “if only” or “I hope so”. Alone it is a reply: הַלְוַאי! For a hope that can still come true, add שֶׁ + future: הַלְוַאי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֶזֶג אֲוִיר טוֹב. For a wish against reality, use הָיִיתִי + present form: הַלְוַאי שֶׁהָיִיתִי יָכוֹל לָבוֹא.