4.3 Subjunctive and Conditional Mood

Overview of Subjunctive and Conditional Mood in Urdu

In upper intermediate Urdu, you start talking not only about what is happening, but also about what might, should, or could happen. For this you need two important tools in Urdu grammar: the subjunctive and the conditional.

In this chapter we will focus on how these moods are formed and used, with many practical patterns and examples.

1. What the Subjunctive and Conditional Are Used For

Urdu uses special verb forms and structures to talk about:

• Wishes and hopes
• Suggestions and polite requests
• Conditions, such as “if X then Y”
• Hypothetical or unreal situations
• Consequences and results

In English these often involve “would, should, could, might, if, unless, so that, in order to” and similar expressions. Urdu expresses the same ideas with a mixture of:

• Specific verb endings
• The particle اگر “if”
• Particular auxiliary verbs and patterns

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2. Core Subjunctive Verb Forms

2.1 Present-type subjunctive endings

For many verbs, the subjunctive looks like the present tense stem plus endings. These forms are very common after “if,” “so that,” “lest,” “whether,” and in commands that are polite or indirect.

Here we will look at two very frequent verbs: ہونا “to be” and کرنا “to do”.

Subjunctive of ہونا “to be”

Examples:

• اگر وہ ہو یہاں تو مجھے بتانا۔
  “If he is here, then tell me.”
• خدا کرے تم خوش ہو۔
  “May you be happy.”

Here ہو / ہوں is not simple present “is/are” (which is ہے / ہیں). It is a special form for wishes, conditions, and similar meanings.

Subjunctive of کرنا “to do”

The stem is کر.

Examples:

• اگر تم یہ کام کرو تو میں خوش ہوں گا۔
  “If you do this work, I will be happy.”
• میں چاہتا ہوں کہ وہ میرا انٹرویو کرے۔
  “I want him to do my interview.”
• بہتر ہے کہ ہم ابھی فیصلہ کریں۔
  “It is better that we decide now.”

3. Subjunctive in Common Constructions

3.1 After “so that”: تاکہ

To express purpose or intention, Urdu uses تاکہ “so that / in order that” followed by subjunctive.

Pattern:

Main clause (reason) + تاکہ + subordinate clause (subjunctive)

Examples:

• میں جلدی اٹھتا ہوں تاکہ میں ورزش کروں۔
  “I get up early so that I may exercise.”
• وہ آہستہ بولتی ہے تاکہ سب لوگ سمجھ سکیں۔
  “She speaks slowly so that everyone can understand.”
• ہمیں ابھی نکلنا چاہیے تاکہ ہم وقت پر وہاں پہنچیں۔
  “We should leave now so that we arrive there on time.”

Here کروں، سکیں، پہنچیں are subjunctive forms following تاکہ.

3.2 After “so that not / lest”: کہیں … نہ / تاکہ … نہ

To express a negative purpose or fear, Urdu often uses کہیں and نہ with the subjunctive.

Examples:

• جلدی چلو، کہیں ٹرین لیٹ نہ ہو۔
  “Walk quickly, lest the train be delayed.”
• میں اسے سچ نہیں بتاتا تاکہ وہ ناراض نہ ہو۔
  “I do not tell him the truth so that he does not get upset.”
• احتیاط سے لکھو، کہیں غلطی نہ ہو جائے۔
  “Write carefully, lest there be a mistake.”

3.3 After “whether / if” in indirect questions

Urdu often uses کہ or کیا without changing the verb too much, but a subjunctive flavor appears especially when the outcome is uncertain or wished.

Examples:

• مجھے نہیں معلوم کہ وہ آئے یا نہ آئے۔
  “I do not know whether he will come or not.”
• دیکھتے ہیں کہ کل بارش ہو یا نہیں۔
  “Let us see whether it rains tomorrow or not.”

Here ہو expresses an uncertain future event.

4. Subjunctive in Wishes, Prayers, and Formal Style

Urdu expresses wishes, blessings, and formal prayers with the subjunctive, often with expressions like خدا کرے، اللہ کرے، کاش، لیجیے، فرماییے and others.

4.1 Expressions with “may …”: خدا کرے / اللہ کرے

Pattern:

خدا کرے / اللہ کرے + subjunctive

Examples:

• خدا کرے تم ہمیشہ خوش رھو۔
  “May you always stay happy.”
• اللہ کرے آپ کی صحت بہتر ہو۔
  “May your health improve.”
• خدا کرے امتحان آسان ہو۔
  “May the exam be easy.”

4.2 Expressions with “I wish / if only”: کاش

کاش introduces a wish that is often unreal or difficult.

Examples:

• کاش میں امیر ہوں۔
  “If only I were rich.” (formal / literary)
• کاش وہ آج یہاں ہو۔
  “If only she were here today.”
• کاش ہمیں زیادہ وقت ملے۔
  “If only we got more time.”

Here the subjunctive signals something desired, not a real fact.

5. Basic Conditional Sentences with اگر

The conditional mood is strongly linked to sentences with اگر “if”. Urdu has several conditional patterns, depending on whether the situation is real, probable, hypothetical, or unreal.

5.1 Real or likely conditions

For real or likely future conditions, Urdu often uses:

• اگر + present or subjunctive, then future or imperative in the main clause.

Common patterns:

1. اگر + simple present, main clause in future
2. اگر + subjunctive, main clause in future or imperative

Examples:

• اگر تم محنت کرتے ہو تو تم پاس ہو جاؤ گے۔
  “If you work hard, you will pass.”
• اگر وہ آئے گا تو میں اسے سب کچھ بتاؤں گا۔
  “If he comes, I will tell him everything.”
• اگر تم ابھی چلو تو وقت پر پہنچو گے۔
  “If you go now, you will arrive on time.”
• اگر بارش ہو تو ہم گھر میں رہیں گے۔
  “If it rains, we will stay at home.”

In the last sentence ہو is a subjunctive used with a future result.

5.2 Imperative result clauses

If the result is a command or advice, the main clause can be an imperative.

Examples:

• اگر تم تھک گئے ہو تو تھوڑا آرام کر لو۔
  “If you are tired, then rest a little.”
• اگر کوئی سوال ہو تو مجھ سے پوچھیں۔
  “If there is any question, ask me.”
• اگر اندھیرا ہو تو لائٹ جلاؤ۔
  “If it is dark, switch on the light.”

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6. Hypothetical and Unreal Conditions

More advanced Urdu can express situations that are contrary to fact or highly unlikely. These often describe “if I were you”, “if I had known”, or wishes about the past.

6.1 “If I were you / in your place”

A very common polite hypothetical pattern is:

اگر میں تمہاری جگہ ہوتا / میں تمہاری جگہ ہوتا تو …
“If I were in your place, then …”

Here Urdu uses ہوتا / ہوتی / ہوتے (past habitual of ہونا) in the “if” clause, and often کرتا / کرتی / کرتے (past habitual) or conditional language in the result.

Examples:

• اگر میں تمہاری جگہ ہوتا تو یہ کام فوراً کرتا۔
  “If I were in your place, I would do this work immediately.”
• اگر میں آپ کی جگہ ہوتی تو میں انکار کر دیتی۔
  “If I were in your place (female), I would refuse.”
• اگر ہم ان کی جگہ ہوتے تو ہم زیادہ احتیاط کرتے۔
  “If we were in their place, we would be more careful.”

6.2 “If this happened, that would happen” (less real)

To talk about less real or imagined conditions, colloquial Urdu often combines a past-type verb in the “if” clause with تو and a future or conditional flavor in the main clause.

Patterns you will hear:

1. اگر + past tense, تو + future
2. اگر + past tense, تو + conditional expression (e.g. شاید, ضرور, تو اچھا ہوتا)

Examples:

• اگر وہ آتا تو ہم اسے سب کچھ بتاتے۔
  “If he came, we would tell him everything.”
• اگر میرے پاس وقت ہوتا تو میں تمہارے ساتھ جاتا۔
  “If I had time, I would go with you.”
• اگر اس نے پوچھا ہوتا تو میں اسے مدد دیتا۔
  “If he had asked, I would have helped him.”

These patterns overlap with past tense structures, which are covered elsewhere. Here the important point is their conditional meaning, not the exact tense labels.

7. Conditional Connectors Beyond “اگر”

Although اگر is the main word for “if”, Urdu also uses several other expressions that create a conditional meaning.

7.1 Otherwise: نہیں تو / ورنہ

To express “otherwise / or else”, Urdu often uses نہیں تو or ورنہ.

Patterns:

Main clause (condition or advice), ورنہ / نہیں تو + result

Examples:

• ابھی نکلو، ورنہ تم لیٹ ہو جاؤ گے۔
  “Leave now, otherwise you will be late.”
• اچھے سے پڑھ لو، نہیں تو امتحان مشکل ہو جائے گا۔
  “Study well, otherwise the exam will become difficult for you.”
• مجھے بتا دو، نہیں تو میں خود اندازہ لگا لوں گا۔
  “Tell me, otherwise I will guess myself.”

7.2 In case / if by chance: اگر کہیں / اگر کبھی

To talk about an unlikely possibility, you can say اگر کہیں or اگر کبھی, “if by chance, if ever”.

Examples:

• اگر کہیں تمہیں مشکل ہو تو مجھے فون کرنا۔
  “If by any chance you have trouble, call me.”
• اگر کبھی تم لاہور آؤ تو میرے گھر ضرور آنا۔
  “If you ever come to Lahore, do visit my home.”
• اگر کہیں بارش زیادہ ہو جائے تو میچ منسوخ ہو سکتا ہے۔
  “If it rains a lot by chance, the match may be cancelled.”

7.3 Whether or not: چاہے … یا نہ

To say “whether or not”, Urdu uses چاہے … یا نہ or چاہے … نہ.

Examples:

• چاہے وہ مانے یا نہ مانے, میں سچ بولوں گا۔
  “Whether he accepts it or not, I will tell the truth.”
• چاہے بارش ہو یا نہ ہو, میں جاؤں گا۔
  “Whether it rains or not, I will go.”

Here ہو is again a subjunctive form.

8. Subjunctive with Expressions of Obligation and Suggestion

Many verbs and phrases that express obligation, suggestion, or desire take a clause with the subjunctive.

Common triggers:

• ضروری ہے کہ …
• بہتر ہے کہ …
• چاہیے کہ …
• میں چاہتا ہوں کہ … / میں چاہتی ہوں کہ …
• ہم امید کرتے ہیں کہ …

8.1 ضروری ہے کہ … “It is necessary that …”

Examples:

• ضروری ہے کہ تم وقت پر آؤ۔
  “It is necessary that you come on time.”
• ضروری ہے کہ ہم یہ فارم آج ہی جمع کریں۔
  “It is necessary that we submit this form today.”

8.2 بہتر ہے کہ … “It is better that …”

Examples:

• بہتر ہے کہ ہم کل مل لیں۔
  “It is better that we meet tomorrow.”
• بہتر ہے کہ تم آرام کر لو۔
  “It is better that you take a rest.”

8.3 چاہیے کہ … “Should / ought to”

This is a more formal or explicit obligation than simply using چاہیے.

Examples:

• تمہیں چاہیے کہ تم زیادہ محنت کرو۔
  “You should work harder.”
• حکومت کو چاہیے کہ وہ غریبوں کی مدد کرے۔
  “The government should help the poor.”

8.4 Verbs of wanting, hoping, preferring

Examples:

• میں چاہتا ہوں کہ تم میرے ساتھ چلو۔
  “I want you to go with me.”
• ہم امید کرتے ہیں کہ سب کچھ ٹھیک ہو۔
  “We hope that everything will be fine.”
• میں پسند کروں گا کہ آپ کل آئیں۔
  “I would prefer that you come tomorrow.”

In all of these, the clause after کہ uses subjunctive forms like چلو، ہو، آئیں.

9. Polite and Softened Commands with Subjunctive

Instead of a direct imperative, Urdu often uses subjunctive forms to sound more polite or indirect. This is especially common with آپ.

9.1 آپ + subjunctive for polite requests

Compare:

• Direct imperative (neutral or strong):
  دروازہ بند کرو۔
  “Close the door.”
• Polite request with آپ:
  آپ دروازہ بند کریں۔
  “Please close the door.” / “Would you close the door.”

More examples:

• آپ بیٹھ جائیں۔
  “Please sit down.”
• آپ تھوڑا انتظار کریں۔
  “Please wait a moment.”
• آپ چائے لے لیں۔
  “Please have some tea.”

These کریں، جائیں، لیں act like polite subjunctive requests.

9.2 Let us … (inclusive suggestion)

To suggest doing something together, Urdu often uses چلیں، کریں، جائیں etc.

Examples:

• چلیں، آج فلم دیکھنے چلیں۔
  “Let us go to watch a film today.”
• ہم کل صبح ساتھ ساتھ واک کریں؟
  “Shall we walk together tomorrow morning?”
• اچھا، اب کام شروع کریں۔
  “Alright, now let us start work.”

Here the subjunctive serves as a soft, inclusive proposal.

10. Summary Patterns

To finish, let us collect some of the most useful patterns for immediate use.

10.1 Common subjunctive patterns

10.2 Common conditional patterns

New Vocabulary from This Chapter

Use these patterns and words actively in your own sentences to become comfortable with the subjunctive and conditional mood in Urdu.