CONDITIONAL STATEMENTS are "if/then" expressions.

The Greek word for "if " is ei)). Words such as e)pei/ or o(/te ("when"), o(/stij ("whoever"), o(/pwj ("however"), etc. may be substituted for ei).

1. future more and less vivid conditions pertain to the future; more vivid ("shall/will") conditions imply that things are more likely to happen; less vivid ("should/would") conditions imply that they are less likely

       "if you will come": more vivid; "whoever should come": less vivid
 

2. general conditions describe "if ever" situations in the present and past

      "whenever you see a Persian": present general
 

3. contrary-to-fact conditions describe what would happen/would have happened if

       "if you had been here": contrary to past fact

GRAMMAR:

	protasis (if)	apodosis (then)
future more vivid	ei) a)/n + subjunctive	future indicative
future less vivid	ei) + optative	optative + a)/n
present general	ei) a)/n + subjunctive	present indicative
past general	ei) + optative	imperfect indicative
contrary to present fact	ei) + imperfect indicative	imperfect indicative + a)/n
contrary to past fact	ei) + aorist indicative	aorist indicative + a)/n

    note i:  ei) a)/n is usally contracted to e)a/n (or a)/n or h)/n)

       note ii:  the "tense" of subjunctives and optatives in conditions always reflect
                     aspect, never time

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