Unreal Time And Subjunctives

EN Study

• It's time
  • It's time, It's high time
• Wishes
  • Present / future time
  • Would
  • Past time
  • Hope
• I'd rather / I'd prefer
  • I'd rather
  • I'd prefer
• As if, as though
• Suppose and imagine
• Formal subjunctives
  • Insisting, demanding, etc
  • Less formal usage
• Formulaic subjunctives
• Whereas x While (zatímco)

It's time

It's time, It's high time

Though the time referred to is unreal

It's time, It's high time + past simple or continuous

• It's time we left.
  • Je čas, abychom odešli.
• It's high time something was done about this.
  • Je nejvyšší čas, aby se s tím něco udělalo.

Wishes

I wish - Kéž by

Present / future time

Wishes where you want to change a present / future state

I wish + someone/something + past verb

• I wish I had a car. (I don't have one now.)
  • Kéž bych měl auto.
• I wish I was going on holiday with you next week. (I'm not going.)
  • Kéž bych s tebou příští týden jel na dovolenou.

Would

The speaker wants somebody or something else to change

• I wish he would change his mind and marry Jane.
  • Kéž by změnil názor a vzal si Jane.
• I wish it would stop raining.
  • Kéž by přestalo pršet.

Describes an annoying habit

• I wish you wouldn't make such mess.
  • Kéž bys nedělal takový nepořádek.

Differences:

• I wish it would stop raining. (V budoucnu)
• I wish it didn't rain. (Teď)

Past time

Wishes referring to a past event, which cannot be changed

I wish + someone/something + past perfect

• I wish I hadn't eaten so much.
  • Kéž bych tolik nejedl.

Hope

Wishes about simple future events

I hope + someone/something + present simple
I hope + someone/something + will + verb (sometimes this form is used)

• I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.
  • Doufám, že zítra nebude pršet.
• I hope Jim comes/ will come to the party tonight.
  • Doufám, že Jim přijde na večírek dnes večer.

I'd rather / I'd prefer

I'd rather

Preferences about actions

I'd rather + someone/something + past verb

• I'd rather you didn't smoke in here.
  • Raději bych, kdybys tady nekouřil.

I'd rather and I'd sooner are used with infinitive or past infinitive without 'to' when comparing nouns or phrases

I'd rather / I'd sooner + infinitive / past infinitive without 'to'

• I'd rather be a sailor than a soldier. (present)
  • Raději bych byl námořník než voják.
• I'd rather have lived in Ancient Greece than Ancient Rome. (past)
  • Raději bych žil ve starověkém Řecku než ve starověkém Římě.

I'd prefer

I'd prefer it if + someone/something + past verb
I'd prefer + you/him/her + (not) to + verb
I'd prefer + noun + to + noun

• I'd prefer it if you didn't smoke.
  • Raději bych, kdybys nekouřil.
• I'd prefer you to sit in your seat (rather than sit on the floor).
  • Raději bych, kdybys seděl na svém místě (než na zemi).
• I'd prefer you not to sit on the floor.
  • Raději bych, kdybys neseděl na zemi.
• I'd prefer tea to coffee.
  • Raději mám čaj než kávu.

As if, as though

The verb form here depends on wether the situation is real or unreal

• You look as if you're having second thoughts. (Real. You are having second thoughts.)
  • Vypadá to, jako bys měl pochybnosti.
• He acts as if he were in charge. (Unreal. He isn't in charge.)
  • Chová se, jako by byl vedoucí.
• I feel as if an express train had hit me. (Unreal. It hasn't.)
  • Cítím se, jako by mě srazil expres.

Informal usage

• You look like you have just seen a ghost. (informal)
  • Vypadáš, jako bys právě viděl ducha.
• You look as if you had just seen a ghost.
  • Vypadáš, jako bys právě viděl ducha.

Suppose and imagine

Understood outcomes

• Suppose someone told you that I was a spy!
  • Představ si, že ti někdo řekl, že jsem špion!
• Imagine we'd never met! (We have met.)
• Suppose it starts raining, what'll we do?
  • Představ si, že začne pršet, co budeme dělat?

Formal subjunctives

Insisting, demanding, etc

After verbs such as demand, insist, suggest, require, which imply obligation, the subjunctive may be used in formal style. Subjunctive is the same verb form as the infinitive without 'to'. There is no third person -s or past form.

• They demanded that he leave at once.
  • Požadovali, aby okamžitě odešel.
• The school Principal suggested that he be awarded a scholarship.
  • Ředitel školy navrhl, aby mu byla uděleno stipendium.

Less formal usage

Less formally, should can be used, and colloquially no verb change is made

• They demanded that he should leave.
• They demanded that he left. (informal)

Formulaic subjunctives

Fixed expressions

• Heaven help us!
  • Ať nám Bůh pomůže!
• Be that as it may...
  • Ať je tomu jakkoliv...
• Come what may...
  • Ať se stane cokoliv...
  • Come what may, We'll always be there for you.

Whereas x While (zatímco)

• Whereas - rozdíl mezi 2 věcmi
• While - 2 věci, které se dějí současně