The zero conditional is used for general truths or scientific facts.
Example: If you don’t eat, you get hungry.
Nuer: Mi /ciä mi̱thi, lɛ buɔth ji ɛnäk. | Amharic: ካልበላህ ይራባል. kalbelahi yirabali
Example: If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
Nuer: Mi ci pi̱w lëth ɛ wä kä 100°C, bɛ cu puär.| Amharic: ውሃውን እስከ 100 ዲግሪ ሴንቲግሬድ ካሞቁ, ያፈላል. wihawini isike 100 dīgirī sēnitīgirēdi kamok’u, yafelali.
Example: If you respect your husband, he love you.
Nuer: Mi luthi cɔwdu, jɛn nhɔkɛ ji̱ .| Amharic:ባልሽን የምታከብር ከሆነ ይወድሻል. balishini yemitakebiri kehone yiwedishali
Example: If I drink too much coffee, I can't sleep at night.
Nuer: Mi cä bun math ɛlɔ̱ŋ, /ci Ɣän ɛ ni̱n kɛ wäär. | Amharic: ቡና አብዝቼ ከጠጣሁ ሌሊት መተኛት አልችልም። buna ābizichē ket’et’ahu lēlīti metenyati ālichilimi
2. First Conditional
The first conditional is used for real and possible situations in the future.
Kä kɔndi̱cinal in nhiam ɛ mi̱ lät kɛ kui̱ kä tin thuɔ̱ɔ̱k kɛnɛ tin de rɔ̱ lot rɛy gua̱th mi̱ bi̱ ben
Formula: If + present simple, + will + verb( v1)
Example: If it rains tomorrow, I will stay home.
Nuer: Mi wä nhiaal dɛ̈m iruun, bä te cieŋ. | Amharic: ነገ ዝናብ ከሆነ ቤት እቆያለሁ. nege zinabi kehone bēti ik’oyalehu
Example: If you study hard, you will pass the exam.
Nuer: Mi ci kuen a bum, bi ɣɔ̱n bäl. | Amharic: ጠንክረህ ከተማርክ ፈተናውን ያልፋል.t’enikirehi ketemariki fetenawini yalifali
Example: If they invite me, I will go to the party.
Nuer: Mi cikɛ ɣä cɔl, bä wä ŋarä .| Amharic: ከጋበዙኝ ወደ ግብዣው እሄዳለሁ። kegabezunyi wede gibizhawi ihēdalehu.
3. Second Conditional
The second conditional is used for hypothetical situations that are unlikely or impossible.
ɛ mi̱ lat kɛ mi /ci̱ de mal tuok kiɛ mi /ci rɔ lot
Formula: If + past simple, + would + verb(v1)
Example: If I were you, I wouldn't mention it.
Nuer: Mi ɛ ɣän ji̱n, /cä jɛ dee lat. | Amharic: እኔ አንተን ብሆን ኖሮ አልጠቅሰውም ነበር። inē āniteni bihoni noro ālit’ek’isewimi neberi
Example: If she were here, she would help us.
Nuer: Mi tëë wanɛ mɛ, derɛ kɔn luäk | Amharic: እሷ እዚህ ብትሆን ትረዳን ነበር። iswa izīh bitihon tiredani neberi
Example: If they knew the truth, they would be angry.
Nuer: Mi ci kɛn thuɔ̱k ŋa̱c, dee kɛ gaak . | Amharic: እውነቱን ቢያውቁ ይናደዱ ነበር። iwinetun bīyawik’u yinadedu neber
4. Third Conditional
The third conditional is used for hypothetical situations in the past that did not happen.
Kä kɔndi̱cinal in diɔ̱kdiɛn ɛ mi̱ cäät kɛ rɛy gua̱th ëë ci̱ wä min /kän tuɔɔk.
Formula: If + past perfect, + would have + past participle
Example: If I had worked harder, I might have passed the exam
Nuer: Mi cä lät ɛ bum ɛlɔ̱ŋ ɛnë, dɔ̱ŋ dee ɣän ɣɔn bäl | Amharic: ጠንክሬ ብሰራ ኖሮ ፈተናውን ማለፍ እችል ነበር። t’enikirē bisera noro fetenawini malefi ichili neberi
Example: If she had seen you, she would have loved you.
Nuer: Mi cɛ ji̱ nɛn ɛnë , derɛ ji̱ nhɔk . | Amharic: አንቺን ብታይ ኖሮ ትወድሽ ነበር። ānichīni bitayi noro tiwedishi neberi
Example: If they had invited us, we would have attended.
Nuer: Mi ci kɛn kɔn cɔl ɛnë, dënɛ wä guäth ɛmɔ. | Amharic: ጋብዘውን ቢሆን ኖሮ እንገኝ ነበር። gabizewin bīhon noro inigenyi neberi
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