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Conditional Sentences

There are always two parts to a conditional sentence;-

Clauses; 1 - if clause.

2 - main clause.

i) If - Ka.
If describes a possible situation

Sentences containing the word if are called conditional sentences because they usually express a condition.

English	Lango
If he comes,tell him to wait.	Ka en obino,Kobe en kur.
If it rains, we will get wet.	Ka kot ocwe,wan ojot.
If you study hard, you will pass your exam.	Ka yin i kwano atek,yin i kato peny aber.

There are four types of if sentences in English.

a) Type 0 (zero) conditional sentences.

In a zero conditional sentence, we use a present tense in both parts of the sentence.

English	Lango
If you give respect, you get respect.	Ka i miyo woro, i nwongo woro.
If you heat ice, it melts.	Ka i lyeto pee, en meye/loo.

NB: Type 0 (zero) conditional sentences are used to talk about real and possible situations.

b) Type 1 (one) conditional sentences.

Type 1 conditional sentences are used to talk about possible situations and their probable results.

In these sentences,we use the simple present tense in the if clause and the simple future tense in the main clause.

English	Lango
If you work hard, you will succeed.	Ka i tio atek, i bino cobo miti.
If you ask him, he will help you.	Ka i penyo en, en bino konyo yin.
If you invite them, they will come.	Ka i lwongo gi, gin a bino.

c) Type 2 (two) conditional sentences.

These sentences are used to talk about unlikely conditions and its probable result.

Here the tense in the if clause is the simple past tense and the tense in the main clause is the present conditional tense (would + get).

English	Lango
If you asked him, he would help you.	Ka i penye en,en nwongo a konyi.
If you studied hard, you would pass your exam.	Ka i kwano atek, i bino kato peny ni.
If you invited them, they would come.	Ka i lwongo gi, gin a bino.

d) Type 3 (three) conditional tense.

In the type 3 conditional sentence, the tense in the if clause is the past perfect and the tense in the main clause is the perfect conditional (would have + infinitive).

English	Lango
If you had invited them, they would have come.	Ka nwongo i lwongo gi,gin nwongo a bino.
If you had asked him, he would have helped you.	Ka nwongo i penyo en,en nwongo a konyo yin.

ii) Main clause.

This describes the consequences.

Because.

Joins sentences with more than one meaning.

The word because is translated as pien in Lango language.

a) Because in the middle of sentence.

English	Lango
He missed work because he was sick.	En okeng tic pien en nwongo two.
She has no car license because it is expensive.	En pe kede waraga me otoka pien welere tek.
They make medicine because they study it.	Gin yubo yat pien gin kwano yat chango.

b) Because at the beginning of a sentence.

English	Lango
Because she is faster, she plays soccer.	Pien en dwir, en tuko odilo.
Because he is a liar, he has many enemies.	Pien en obedo agoba,en tye kede okwor apol.

iii) Kadi

Kadi in Lango language is translated as although/even if in English.

English	Lango
Although/even if he/she is late, he/she brought the good news.	Kadi en o'gal/orii en okelo kwena aber.
Although/even if he is not educated, he/she is smart.	Kadi en pe okwano,en ryek.
Although/even if he/she is rude, he/she is a good teacher.	Kadi en ger,en obedo apwony aber.
Although/even if she/he is from different tribe, he/she is married to a Lango.	Kadi en oyaa i rok apat,en onyomere kede Lango.

iv) Ka

Ka is translated as whether in English.

Lango	English
Ka en a bino.	Whether he/she will come.
Ka en a wot.	Whether he/she will go.
Ka en a kato.	Whether he/she will pass.
Ka en a maro.	Whether he/she will love.

v) Kun

Kun is translated as while/whereas in English.

Lango	English
En otio kun en two.	He/she worked while/whereas she/he is sick.
En owoto kun tye a bor.	He/she walked while/whereas it is far.
En omato kun en tye a dwoc.	He/she drunk while/whereas he/she is driving.
En ngweco kun en ongwalo.	He/she runs while he/she is crippled .

vi) Wish

Wish is known as;- paro/tamo/geno/maro/mito with kono in Lango.

We say aparo.

English	Lango
I wish he was early.	A paro kono en nwongo tye con.
I wish she cooks good food.	A paro ni kono ted dek aber.
I wish he played football.	A tamo ni kono en otuku adilo.
I wish they come to the meeting.	A tamo ni kono gin bin i cokere.

vii) Hope is translated to Lango as gen.

English	Lango
I hope he is well.	A geno ni en tie aber.
I hope she finished on time.	A geno ni en otyeko icawa ikokome.
I hope they sleep well with the cold.	A geno ni gin nin aber kede koyo.
I hope it was a good music.	A geno ni nwongo obedo wer aber.
I hope he sleeps well after operation.	A geno ni en a nino aber i nge ayanga.

viii) Kadi/pe dang is translated as neither.

a) Kadi/pe dang at the beginning of a sentence.

Lango	English
Pe dang en oyee.	Neither he/she agreed.
Pe dang en okwero.	Neither he/she refused.
Pe dang en maro.	Neither he/she loves.
Pe dang en oneno.	Neither he/she saw.

b) Kadi/pe dang in the middle of a sentence.

Lango	English
Gin pe twero kadi gin tem.	They cannot manage neither they try.
Momot kadi en bino timo.	Slowly neither she/he will do it.
En bino oyotoyot Kadi yin i tem.	He/she comes quickly neither you try.
Gin pe obino kadi yin pe i goyi gi.	They did not come neither did you call them.

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