Phrase · 💭 Hypotheses in every register
De haberlo sabido, no habría venido.
Had I known, I wouldn't have come.
C2regret and counterfactualsformalAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
De1prepositionif (lit. of)haberlo2verbhaving … ithaber · infinitivesabidoverbknownsaber · participle · masc. · sing.,noadverbnothabría3verbI would havehaber · conditional · 1st sing.venido3verbcomevenir · participle · masc. · sing..
- De → haberlo: de + infinitive: condition
- haberlo → sabido: haber + participle
- habría → venido: habría + participle: unreal past
Word for word: “Of having known it, I wouldn't have come.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1de + compound infinitive = a past condition: de haberlo sabido = had I known (= si lo hubiera sabido). Formal. The extended conditional system: de + infinitive, hubiera and colloquial patterns →
- 2The pronoun lo attaches to the infinitive: haberlo sabido. It refers to the fact you learnt.
- 3Conditional perfect: the unreal result in the past. No hubiera venido is also correct. Past unreal conditions: pluperfect subjunctive and conditional perfect →
Variations
- Si lo hubiera sabido, no habría venido.
- Si lo hubiera sabido, no hubiera venido.
- De saberlo, no habría venido.