conditionals - "... if we become friends" or "became" or "were to become"?


"I would feel happy if we become friends." (become)


or


"I would feel happy if we became friends." (became)


or


"I would feel happy if we were to become friends." (were to become)


Update: or


"I would feel happy if we could become friends." (could become)


Perhaps related, I noticed a comment on another answer saying that imperatives are always in present tense. Is "become" an imperative in the examples above?



Answer



You are suggesting a conditional (hypothetical) type of pairing. The usual example starts with the if phrase:



If we were to become friends, I would be very happy.



Reversed, it still holds it's form.



I would be very happy if we were to become friends.



The other sentences are certainly understandable, and basically mean the same thing. But there are some guidelines.




  • I will be happy if we become friends.

  • I would be happy if we became friends.



I don't know anything about the need for imperatives. The imperative might look like this:


BE happy if we become friends! (strange command)
Eat your dinner if you want to grow up! (common command)


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