Future Simple

Question

Is this correct?Si je gagnerai au loto demain, j'achèterais une nouvelle voiture.Should gagner be in future simple or present?

Accepted Answer

Hi Dragana
No, it would be -
Si je gagnais au loto, j'achèterais une nouvelle voiture = If I won the lottery , I would buy a new car
With Si clauses there are only 3 possibilities :

présent ---> futur
imparfait ----> conditionnel
plus-que-parfait ----> conditionnel antérieur

Here is the Kwiziq lesson with the case you are highlighting -
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/l-imparfait-usage-in-hypothetical-clauses-introduced-by-si-if-followed-by-le-conditionnel-present
Hope this helps!

Answer

Thanks but if I said - demain - in the futur. Is it correct?

Answer

In fact I think there are probably two options, just as in English.

1) imparfait ---> conditionnel

Si je gagnais au loto demain, j'achèterais une nouvelle voiture = If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would buy a new car

2) présent ---> futur

Si je gagne au loto demain, j'achèterai une nouvelle voiture = If I win the lottery tomorrow, I will buy a new car.

The second option indicates a greater confidence, or at least optimism.