In this chapter, I introduce two types of conditional clauses used in TCA: those that express something that is possible, and those that express something that is impossible. But first, let’s look at some key differences between MSA and TCA.

Differences between conditional clauses in MSA and TCA

• MSA always uses the past tense of the verb for the first half of the conditional (remember that the past tense operates as the subjunctive mood), but in Tunisian Arabic there is more flexibility.
• One final difference to keep in mind is that, in MSA, the second half of the conditional (the result) is introduced with the prefix ف or ل, but in Tunisian Arabic, no prefix is needed.

Conditionals expressing something that is possible

With the past tense verb

In Tunisian colloquial Arabic, we commonly use the past tense for the first half of the clause (recall that the past tense can carry subjunctive meaning). In the context of conditional clauses, the past tense verb has present meaning. This type of clause can be used to express any level of certainty. The result of the condition can be in the present or future tense, depending on the intended meaning.

With the present tense

In Tunisian Arabic, certain conditional clauses are expressed with the present tense. Most commonly, this is used when giving advice. One way to understand this use of the present instead of the past tense is there is no uncertainty in this type of clause; the giver of the advice already knows (or assumes) what the receiver of the advice wants. In the examples above, there is less certainty, the past tense is required.

Conditionals expressing something that is not possible

To express a conditional that is not possible (or not likely) we introduce the conditional with كان, and introduce the result with راهو, which should be conjugated to match the verb of the result. Both verbs will be in the past tense (like in MSA, the past tense can act as the subjunctive).