Regrets and wishes: third conditional, wish and if only: Spoken English: Zero to Fluent (Intermediate)

The third conditional imagines a different past. It is too late to change it; we only talk about it. Hindi: "अगर मैं जल्दी निकलता, तो ट्रेन पकड़ लेता" (but I did not leave early, and I missed the train).

Part	Form	Example
If part (the past that did not happen)	if + had + past participle	If I had left early,
Result part	would have + past participle	I would have caught the train.
Negative	hadn't / wouldn't have	If it hadn't rained, we wouldn't have cancelled the match.
Question	What would you have done if...?	What would you have done if you had missed the exam?

If I had left early, I would have caught the train.

Say it: if ai had LEFT UR-lee, ai WUD-uv KAWT the TRAYN

अगर मैं जल्दी निकलता, तो ट्रेन पकड़ लेता।

In speech "I had" often becomes "I'd": "If I'd left early..."

If you had told me, I would've helped you.

Say it: if yoo had TOHLD mee, ai WUD-uv HELPT yoo

अगर तुमने मुझे बताया होता, तो मैं तुम्हारी मदद कर देता।

The truth: you did not tell me, so I did not help.

If it hadn't rained, we would have won the match.

Say it: if it HAD-unt RAYND, wee WUD-uv WUN the MACH

अगर बारिश न होती, तो हम मैच जीत जाते।

Would have sounds like "would-uv"

In speech, "would have" becomes "would've" (WUD-uv). "Should have" becomes "should've" (SHUD-uv) and "could have" becomes "could've" (KUD-uv). Because "'ve" sounds like "of", some people write "would of". That is always wrong in writing. Write "would have" or "would've".

Wish and if only

Meaning	Form	Example
Wish about now (the present is different)	I wish + past	I wish I knew how to drive. (I don't know)
Regret about the past	I wish + had + past participle	I wish I had saved money. (I didn't)
Complaint about someone	I wish you would + verb	I wish you would stop shouting.
Stronger feeling	If only + the same forms	If only I had listened to my mother!
Regret: the right thing I did not do	should have + past participle	I should have studied.

I wish I knew more English words.

Say it: ai WISH ai NYOO mor ING-lish WURDZ

काश मुझे अंग्रेज़ी के और शब्द आते।

Wish + past = about now. "I wish I were taller" is also correct.

I wish I had studied harder for the exam.

Say it: ai WISH ai had STUD-eed HAAR-der for the ig-ZAM

काश मैंने परीक्षा के लिए और मेहनत की होती।

I wish you would stop calling me during office hours.

Say it: ai WISH yoo wud STOP KAWL-ing mee DYOOR-ing OF-is OW-erz

मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम ऑफ़िस के समय मुझे फ़ोन करना बंद करो।

It sounds polite, but it is a complaint. Use it carefully.

I should have checked the ticket date.

Say it: ai SHUD-uv CHEKT the TIK-it DAYT

मुझे टिकट की तारीख़ जाँच लेनी चाहिए थी।

"Should have + past participle" = it was the right thing, but I did not do it.

A light mix you will often hear: a past action with a result now. "If I had taken that job, I would be in Bengaluru now." Past condition (had taken), present result (would be). Just notice it for now.

Think of it like this: The third conditional is like watching a cricket replay. The match is over and the result will not change, but we still say "If he had caught that ball, we would have won." We can talk about the past; we cannot change it.

Careful: Common mistakes: "If I would have known, I would have come" (say "If I had known, I would have come"). "I wish I have a car" (say "I wish I had a car"). "I would of called you" (write "I would have called you"). "I should have went" (say "I should have gone").

Tip: Every night, say one regret and one plan: "I wish I had drunk more water today. Tomorrow I will keep a bottle on my desk." Regret in English, then a positive next step!

Regrets and wishes: third conditional, wish and if only

Explanation

Would have sounds like "would-uv"

Wish and if only

Watch the lesson

In real life: A missed train at the railway station

Practice (0/4 done)

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