Conditional Clauses in Classical Greek
by Joel Harlow

"IF" (protastis)					"THEN" (apodosis)
	Indic.	Subj.	Opt.		(part.)	Indic.	Opt.	type	meaning
	pres.	--	--		--	any	--	simp. part.	no implications (example)
	past	--	--		--	any	--	simp. part.	No implications (example)
	fut.	--	--		--	fut. idea	--	fut. most vivid / emotive	strong emotion, commonly with undesired consequences (example)
	impf.	--	--			impf.	--	cont. fact	condition was not fulfilled, thus the "then" clause is void (examples: present, past)
	aor.	--				aor.	--	cont. fact
	--	--	any		--	impf.	--	past gen.	regularity in the past (example)
	--	--	any			--	pres / aor.	fut. less vivid	less probable (example)
	--	any			--	pres		pres. gen.	regularity in the present (example)
	--	any	--		--	fut. idea	--	fut. more vivid	somewhat probable (example)

The NT employs the simple particular, the contrary to fact, the present general, and the future more vivid. The others are rare or absent in the NT.

If the general knows this, he will come immediately.

If the general knew this, he came immediately.

If you do these things, you will regret it. (Lit., it will regret to you.)

If the general were commanding, you would be winning. (-- But he' isn't, so you are not.)

If the general knew this, he would have come immediately. (-- But he didn't come, so he didn't know.)

If (= whenever) the general would call him, this one (=(he) would come immediately.

	If the general were to do these things, OR	it would go well.
[Back to chart]	Should the general do the things,

If (= whenever) the general summons him, this one (=(he) comes immediately.

If (=whenever) you summon him, this one (=(he) will come.