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The periodo ipotetico is used to talk about things that would happen or would be true under certain conditions, for example, Iwouldhelp you if I could.
A conditional sentence is made up by a main clause and by a subordinate clause introduced by the conjunction se (if in English).
Conditional sentences are traditionally divided into three types, they're actually four:
Reality - probability : real hypothetis having a certain consequence
Indicativo presente + indicativo presente
Se scaldi l'acqua a 100 gradi, bolle;If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils
Se una persona beve troppo, si ubriaca;If one drinks too much, he'll get drunk
Se supero l'esame, organizzo una festa;If I pass the exam, I'll organize a party
Indicativo presente + indicativo futuro
Se mangi troppo, ti verrà mal di pancia;If you eat too much, you'll get a stomachache
Se corri, lo raggiungerai;If you run, you'll reach him
Indicativo futuro + indicativo futuro
Se supererò l'esame, organizzerò una festa;If I pass the exam, I'll organize a party
Indicativo presente + imperativo
Se esci, chiudi la porta;If you go out, shut the door
Possibility : possible hypothesis, something you are not expecting to happen or has a little chance of happening, but if it happened, it could have a certain consequence.
Congiuntivo imperfetto + Condizionale presente
Se vincessi alla lotteria, viaggerei per il mondo;If I won the lottery, I would travel the world
Impossibility : impossible hypothesis, something in the past that can't happen anymore, as well as its consequence.
Congiuntivo trapassato + condizionale passato
Se avessi studiato di più, avrei superato l'esame;If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam
Mixed : an hypothesis in the past that didn't occur, but that if it had occured, it would have a certain consequence in the present
Congiuntivo trapassato + condizionale passato
Se avessi sposato il mio ex, ora sarei altrove;If I had married my ex-boyfriend, I would be somewhere else by now