Indicative Conditions
Conditions that use the indicative mood in both clauses express general truths; for that reason, they are often called general conditions. We can always translate an indicative verb at face value depending on its tense: for example, if you see an imperfect tense indicative verb, translate it as a straightforward imperfect. There will also be further options for translation when it comes to the future more vivid.
There are three specific types of conditions that use the indicative in both clauses:
Past Simple
A past simple condition uses past tenses in the indicative in both the protasis and apodosis and explains a general truth about an action in the past. The use of the indicative indicates that the speaker is reasonably certain that the actions in question were actually performed.
- sī id fēcit, sapiēns erat. If he did it, he was wise.
- sī id faciēbat, sapiēns erat. If he was doing it, he was wise.
- sī id fēcerat, sapiēns erat. If he had done it, he was wise.
Present Simple
A present simple condition uses the present tense in the indicative in both clauses to explain a general truth in the present. The use of the indicative indicates that the speaker is reasonably certain that the actions in question are actually happening.
- sī id facit, sapiēns est. If he does / is doing it, he is wise.
Future More Vivid / Future Simple
The future more vivid or future simple condition uses either the future or the future perfect tense in both clauses to indicate a general truth in the future. The use of the indicative indicates that the speaker is reasonably certain that the actions in question will actually happen; there is no doubt.
- sī id faciet, sapiēns erit. If he will do it, he will be wise.
- sī id fēcerit, sapiēns erit. If he will have done it, he will be wise.
Note that with the future more vivid, you have the option of translating the verb in the protasis, whether it’s future or future perfect, as a present tense:
- sī id faciet, sapiēns erit. If he does (literally “will do”) this, he will be wise.
- sī id fēcerit, sapiēns erit. If he does (literally “will have done”) this, he will be wise.
In this case, using a present tense to translate the apodosis contributes to the generalizing quality of the condition; it also sounds better in English, especially if the verb in your protasis is in the future perfect, the translation of which usually sounds stilted and odd in modern English.