"if i had had" drama :°D

Question

Hello everybody i just introduce myself, my name's Marco, im italian and i'm new around here,

i just found this site surfing randomly and i find really worth it, and helpful!
im also pretty new about english itself, i've never been into the situation to have to speak it everyday, with constancy, but a few months ago i started to travel for work, so i was kinda forced to learn, and im doing my best to become the most fluent i can.
Now, my question is:

Ive read around here about conditionals, ive also read there are different "levels" in conditionals, but im not goin any deeper about it, cause as now, i know just a little about "formal grammar", and i dont want to overload my brain more then it already is.
exaple:
If i had had money [...]

well, i did not know about this form. i always used this other:

If i would have had money [...]

i dont know why, ive never studied english, i've learnt it from music and movies, and i probably made this up, i just would like to know if it's accetable or not!

thank you, and sorry for being long and sorry also if i made any mistakes in what i wrote, i'de be glad if you'd correct me! thaaanks

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Welcome Marco!

We won't stress your brain too much

, I promise.

Conditionals are sentences with "if" or "unless" clauses.
Example: If you work hard, you will get ahead.

There are four types of these conditionals.

1) Stating a general truth - something that is always true:

If you drop an egg from the roof, it breaks. (present/present)
If X = Y+1 and Y equals 1, then X equals 2.

2) Stating something where there is a choice, but will most likely be true.
If it rains, I will wear a raincoat. (present/future)
If you study hard, you will pass the course.

3) Stating something that is not likely to be true in the present or future:
If I won the million-dollar lottery (not likely, now or in the future!) , I would buy a customized Ferrari. (past/ would+verb)
Note that be has a special form:
If I were you (an impossible condition) , I would bet on horse #1. (were/ would + verb)

4) Stating something in the past that did not happen (so is not true).
The consequence can be in the a) present time or b) past time.

a) If I had studied English in school (Not true, I was lazy!), I would be able to speak fluently now. (had+past participle/ would+verb)
b) If I had done my homework (Not true, I was lazy!), I would not have failed the course (of course, I failed!). (Had / would have )

This #4 is what you are giving as an example:

If I had had a million dollars when I was 21 (alas, not true!), I would not have had to work so hard.

If I had had a million dollars when I was 21, I would be rich now because I would have invested it in Microsoft.

That's the short story on conditionals. It just takes a little practice!

Cheers,
A-

s

Marco Barotsee · Answer

that was really clear and helpful! thank you!

i see that, basically, the same rules are over conditionals in every language, so it's just about practice.
i thank you really much, but u have not answered what i mainly asked ;D
can i say:
if i would have had a million dollars when i was 21, i would be rich now
instead of:
if i had had a million dollars [..] i would be rich now ?

is it still acceptable, or have i just sounded like a retarded till now? ;D

AlpheccaStars · Answer

That was really clear and helpful! Thank you!
Please use the shift key. It will improve your punctuation!

...
Can I say:
if I would have had a million dollars when I was 21, I would be rich now instead of: if I had had a million dollars [..] i would be rich now ?

Fluent English speakers would not say "If I would have had ..." because it is does not follow any of the patterns for conditional sentences.
They would understand you, but it is not correct.

Marco Barotsee · Answer

Ok! I finally get it.
Thank you AlpheccaStars. Starting by now I'll try not to say it anymore, it might need a bit of time, since I say it almost automatically, but I will fill the gap.

*And I'm even using the shift key! Impressive!

Bye and thx.

"if i had had" drama :°D

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