Tercer condicional

El tercer condicional: if + had + participio (pasado perfecto), would have + participio. Se usa para imaginar un pasado que hubiera salido de otra manera: tanto la condición como el resultado son irreales, porque ya ocurrió.

Formas cortas: If I'd known (had), I'd have come (would), I would've come. Al hablar rápido, would have suena casi como “would-ə”.

💡'd en la oración con if es had (If I'd known); en el resultado es would (I'd have gone). Y como would've suena como “would of”, mucha gente lo escribe mal: escribe siempre would have.

1. Imaginar un pasado distinto: lo que pasó de verdad fue lo contrario

• If I had left earlier, I wouldn't have missed the train.

  Si hubiera salido antes, no habría perdido el tren. (salí tarde y lo perdí)

• If Lan hadn't helped me, I would have failed the course.

  Si Lan no me hubiera ayudado, habría suspendido la asignatura. (pero Lan sí me ayudó)

2. Arrepentimiento o reproche por algo del pasado

• If you'd told me it was your birthday, I'd have bought you a cake.

  Si me hubieras dicho que era tu cumpleaños, te habría comprado una tarta.

• We would have won if we hadn't made so many mistakes.

  Habríamos ganado si no hubiéramos cometido tantos errores.

3. Alivio porque algo malo no pasó

• If the neighbours hadn't smelled the smoke, the whole house would have burned down.

  Si los vecinos no hubieran olido el humo, se habría quemado toda la casa.

• If you hadn't reminded me, I would have forgotten my passport.

  Si no me lo hubieras recordado, se me habría olvidado el pasaporte.

En el resultado puedes usar could have + V3 (= would have been able to, “habría podido”) o might have + V3 (= would perhaps have, “quizá habría…”) en lugar de would.

• If we'd booked earlier, we could have sat together.

  Si hubiéramos reservado antes, habríamos podido sentarnos juntos. (could have = would have been able to)

• If she had applied, she might have won the scholarship.

  Si hubiera solicitado la beca, quizá la habría conseguido. (might have = would perhaps have)

Fíjate en el tiempo de cada parte. Una parte sobre el pasado → had V3 / would have V3; una parte sobre el presente → pasado simple / would + verbo. Cuando las dos partes hablan de tiempos distintos, tienes un condicional mixto.

• If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.

  Si hubiera estudiado Medicina, ahora sería médico. (pasado → presente)

• If we hadn't moved to Da Nang, we wouldn't know each other.

  Si no nos hubiéramos mudado a Da Nang, no nos conoceríamos. (pasado → presente)

• If he were more organised, he wouldn't have forgotten the meeting.

  Si fuera más organizado, no se habría olvidado de la reunión. (presente → pasado)

• If I didn't have to work tomorrow, I would have stayed at the party longer.

  Si mañana no tuviera que trabajar, me habría quedado más tiempo en la fiesta. (presente → pasado)

💡El mixto 1 suele llevar now, today, still en el resultado. Si ves “now” y la oración con if lleva had V3, el resultado va con would + verbo, no con would have.

En inglés formal puedes quitar if y poner had delante del sujeto: Had I known = If I had known. La negativa es Had … not + V3 (no se contrae en Hadn't I…). Mira la lección “Inversión”.

• Had we known the road was closed, we would have gone another way.

  Si hubiéramos sabido que la carretera estaba cortada, habríamos ido por otro camino.

• Had she not called, I would have waited all night.

  Si ella no hubiera llamado, habría esperado toda la noche. (no: Hadn't she called)

• ✗If I would have known, I would have come.

  ✓If I had known, I would have come.

  La oración con if lleva had + V3. “If I would have…” se oye en el habla informal, pero no es estándar.

• ✗If I knew you were in hospital, I would have visited you.

  ✓If I had known you were in hospital, I would have visited you.

  Habla del pasado → had known.

• ✗We were late. If we had taken a taxi, we would arrive on time.

  ✓We were late. If we had taken a taxi, we would have arrived on time.

  El resultado también está en el pasado → would have + V3.

• ✗If she had took the medicine, she would have felt better.

  ✓If she had taken the medicine, she would have felt better.

  had + participio (taken), no el pasado simple.

• ✗If she had asked me, I would of helped her.

  ✓If she had asked me, I would have helped her.

  would've suena como “would of”, pero siempre es have.

• ✗If it had not rained, we would have play tennis.

  ✓If it had not rained, we would have played tennis.

  would have + participio.