Language/Halh-mongolian/Grammar/Conditional-Verbs

Halh Mongolian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Conditional Verbs

Welcome to the fascinating world of Halh Mongolian grammar, particularly focusing on conditional verbs. Understanding conditional verbs is essential for expressing situations that depend on certain conditions. Whether you're planning a trip to Mongolia, chatting with friends, or simply enjoying the beauty of the language, mastering conditionals will enhance your communication skills significantly.

In this lesson, we will explore:

• What conditional verbs are and their importance in Halh Mongolian

• The different forms of conditional verbs

• Examples to illustrate each point

• Practice exercises to solidify your understanding

Before we jump into the details, let's get a sense of what we're covering.

What Are Conditional Verbs?

Conditional verbs express actions or states that are dependent on certain conditions. They typically answer questions like "What will happen if...?" or "If I do this, then what?" In Halh Mongolian, conditionals help convey nuances and subtleties in conversation, making your speech more natural and engaging.

Conditional verbs are crucial because they allow you to:

• Make hypothetical statements

• Offer suggestions or advice

• Discuss potential outcomes

For example:

• If it rains, I will stay home. (Conditional statement)

Forms of Conditional Verbs

In Halh Mongolian, conditional verbs are formed based on different conditions or scenarios. Here are the main forms you'll encounter:

Zero Conditional

The zero conditional is used for universal truths or habitual actions. It expresses situations that are always true if the condition is met. The structure is typically "If + present tense, present tense."

Example:

• If you heat ice, it melts.

In Halh Mongolian:

• Хэрэв та мөсийг халаавал, тэр хайлна. (Kherev ta mösiig halaaval, ter khailna.)

First Conditional

The first conditional is used for real and possible situations in the future. It follows the structure "If + present tense, will + base form of the verb."

Example:

• If it rains tomorrow, I will take an umbrella.

In Halh Mongolian:

• Хэрэв маргааш бороо орвол, би нөмрөг авч явна. (Kherev margaash boroo orvol, bi nömrog avch yavna.)

Second Conditional

The second conditional is used for unreal or hypothetical situations in the present or future. The structure is "If + past tense, would + base form of the verb."

Example:

• If I had a million dollars, I would travel the world.

In Halh Mongolian:

• Хэрэв надад сая доллар байсан бол, би дэлхийгээр аялна. (Kherev nadad saya dollar baisan bol, bi delkhiigeer ayalna.)

Third Conditional

The third conditional is used for situations that did not happen in the past. It follows the structure "If + past perfect, would have + past participle."

Example:

• If I had known, I would have come earlier.

In Halh Mongolian:

• Хэрэв би мэдсэн бол, би эрт ирэх байсан. (Kherev bi medsen bol, bi ert irekh baisan.)

Summary of Conditional Forms

Here’s a quick overview of the conditional forms we discussed:

Conditional Type	Structure	Example in Halh Mongolian	English Translation
Zero Conditional	If + present tense, present tense	Хэрэв та мөсийг халаавал, тэр хайлна.	If you heat ice, it melts.
First Conditional	If + present tense, will + base form	Хэрэв маргааш бороо орвол, би нөмрөг авч явна.	If it rains tomorrow, I will take an umbrella.
Second Conditional	If + past tense, would + base form	Хэрэв надад сая доллар байсан бол, би дэлхийгээр аялна.	If I had a million dollars, I would travel the world.
Third Conditional	If + past perfect, would have + past participle	Хэрэв би мэдсэн бол, би эрт ирэх байсан.	If I had known, I would have come earlier.

Practical Examples

Now, let’s delve into 20 practical examples of conditional verbs in Halh Mongolian:

1. Zero Conditional:

• Хэрэв та амралт хийх бол, та сэтгэл хангалуун байх болно. (If you take a vacation, you will be happy.)

• Хэрэв ус халаавал, тэр уурлана. (If you heat water, it will boil.)

• Хэрэв нар гийвэл, бид гадаа гарах болно. (If the sun shines, we will go outside.)

2. First Conditional:

• Хэрэв та ном уншвал, та мэдлэгтэй болно. (If you read books, you will gain knowledge.)

• Хэрэв бид цаг хугацаа баримталбал, бид амжилттай байх болно. (If we manage our time, we will succeed.)

• Хэрэв та арван цагт ирвэл, бид хамт хооллох болно. (If you come at ten o'clock, we will eat together.)

3. Second Conditional:

• Хэрэв би том байшинтай байсан бол, би найзуудаа урьж болно. (If I had a big house, I could invite my friends.)

• Хэрэв би хэчнээн их мөнгөтэй байсан бол, би шинэ машин авах байсан. (If I had a lot of money, I would buy a new car.)

• Хэрэв би хилийн цаад зам руу явсан бол, би янз бүрийн соёлтой танилцаж болох байсан. (If I had traveled abroad, I could have experienced different cultures.)

4. Third Conditional:

• Хэрэв би аялалын төлөвлөгөө гаргасан бол, би илүү их хөгжилтэй байсан. (If I had made plans for the trip, I would have had more fun.)

• Хэрэв түүний хэлсэн зүйл биелсэн бол, бид амжилттай байх байсан. (If what he said had come true, we would have been successful.)

• Хэрэв би сургалтад оролцсон бол, би илүү их мэдлэгтэй болсон байх байсан. (If I had attended the course, I would have been more knowledgeable.)

Exercises

To solidify your understanding of conditional verbs, here are 10 exercises. Try to fill in the blanks or translate the sentences as directed. Answers and explanations follow each exercise.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

1. Хэрэв та ______ (ирвэл), би ______ (баярлах) болно.

2. Хэрэв би ______ (мөнгөтэй байсан бол), би ______ (сургуулиа төгсөх) байсан.

Exercise 2: Translate the Following Sentences

1. If you study hard, you will pass the exam.

2. If I were rich, I would help others.

Exercise 3: Match the Conditional Forms

• Match the following sentences to their correct conditional type:

a. Хэрэв би чамтай хамт явсан бол, би их зүйлийг сурах байсан.

b. Хэрэв бороо орвол, бид гэртээ үлдэнэ.

c. Хэрэв та хичээлээ сайн хийвэл, та сайн оноо авна.

|}

| Exercise Number || Sentence || Answer

|-

| 1 || 1. Хэрэв та ______ (ирвэл), би ______ (баярлах) болно. || 1. Хэрэв та ирвэл, би баярлах болно. (If you come, I will be happy.)

|-

| 1 || 2. Хэрэв би ______ (мөнгөтэй байсан бол), би ______ (сургуулиа төгсөх) байсан. || 2. Хэрэв би мөнгөтэй байсан бол, би сургуулиа төгсөх байсан. (If I had been rich, I would have graduated.)

|-

| 2 || 1. If you study hard, you will pass the exam. || Хэрэв та хичээлээ сайн хийвэл, та шалгалтаа өгнө.

|-

| 2 || 2. If I were rich, I would help others. || Хэрэв би баян байсан бол, би бусдад туслах байсан.

|-

| 3 || a. Хэрэв би чамтай хамт явсан бол, би их зүйлийг сурах байсан. || Third Conditional

|-

| 3 || b. Хэрэв бороо орвол, бид гэртээ үлдэнэ. || First Conditional

|-

| 3 || c. Хэрэв та хичээлээ сайн хийвэл, та сайн оноо авна. || Zero Conditional

|}

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have explored the fascinating world of conditional verbs in Halh Mongolian. Understanding these forms allows you to express a wide range of scenarios, from universal truths to hypothetical situations. As you practice these structures, you'll find your ability to communicate in Halh Mongolian becoming more nuanced and effective.

Continue practicing, and you'll soon be able to express your ideas and thoughts clearly and confidently. Remember, language learning is a journey, and mastering conditionals is a significant step forward. Happy learning!

Table of Contents - Halh Mongolian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to the Halh Mongolian Alphabet

• Cyrillic Script
• Vowel Harmony

  ---

Basic Greetings and Expressions

• Greetings
• Polite Expressions

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Cases
• Personal Pronouns

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Cardinal Numbers
• Ordinal Numbers
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Dining Phrases

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Mongolian Customs and Traditions

• Traditional Holidays
• Mongolian Etiquette

  ---

Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons

  ---

Mongolian Music and Arts

• Traditional Music
• Visual Arts

Other Lessons

• Pronouns
• Imperative Verbs
• Gender
• Passive Verbs
• Past Tense Verbs
• Declensions
• Give your Opinion
• Negation
• Adjectives
• Questions