Second Conditionals
If we sold more, we would make a profit.
This lesson gives you a brief overview of second conditionals.
What is the German equivalent?
The German translations are slightly different to the English and cause a few problems for German speakers. Pay special attention to the verbs and tenses in these examples:
English: If we sold more, we would make a profit.
German: Wenn wir mehr verkaufen würden, würden wir einen Gewinn machen.
English: If we received more orders, we would employ more staff.
German: Wenn wir mehr Bestellungen erhalten würden, würden wir mehr Mitarbeiter anstellen.
English: If there was a rail strike, I would be late for work.
German: Wenn es einen Bahnstreik geben würde, würde ich zu spät zur Arbeit kommen.
Notice that in German you have "würden" in the if-clause and in the main clause. But in English, we only have "would" in the main clause. In the if-clause, we have the simple past instead.