Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| y si | /i si/ |
| qué pasaría si | /ke pasaɾia si/ (from spelling rules) |
Spanish uses these phrases to introduce speculation about the future.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase y si literally translates to 'and if'.
Which one should you use?
y si is the common, shorter way to say 'what if' in casual conversation, whereas qué pasaría si is more formal and explicitly means 'what would happen if'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, you may hear Qué tal si… or Y qué pasa si… used to mean 'What if'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using y si as a question, it must be accompanied by both opening and closing question marks: ¿Y si…? The grammar following y si depends on your intent: use the present indicative to suggest a real possibility or a practical plan, and use the imperfect subjunctive to express a hypothetical or unlikely situation.
How do you pronounce it?
/i si/
Did you know?
- The word qué in the phrase qué pasaría si is a direct descendant of the Latin 'quid', making it a linguistic relative of the English legal term 'quid pro quo'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, starting a suggestion with ¿Y si…? acts as a polite social strategy to avoid giving direct commands.
- While y si is used for speculation, the Spanish language relies on a single accent mark to distinguish the word for 'if' from the word for 'yes', which is sí.
Examples in context
- ¿Y si me niego?What if I refuse?This sentence is useful for practicing the form y si when expressing a refusal.Tatoeba #2246937 by Shishir, translation #2235207 by Hybrid
- ¿Y si se rompe?What if it breaks?This sentence is useful for practicing the form y si when discussing something breaking.Tatoeba #7589400 by arh, translation #12247908 by Miktsoanit
- ¿Y si soy pobre?What if I am poor?This sentence is useful for practicing the form y si when discussing a state of being.Tatoeba #2114338 by Shishir, translation #318531 by CM
- ¿Qué pasaría si ganamos el contrato?What if we win the contract?
- ¿Y si vamos al cine mañana?What if we go to the movies tomorrow?
- Imagínate que ganamos la loteríaImagine if we win the lottery
- ¿Qué tal si vamos a la playa este fin de semana?What if we go to the beach this weekend?
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are discussing a potential change in their travel plans.
- Daniel¿Y si perdemos el tren?What if we miss the train?
- ElenaNo te preocupes, Daniel.Don't worry, Daniel.
- DanielPero, ¿y si llueve?But, what if it rains?
- ElenaPodemos tomar un taxi.We can take a taxi.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what if” translations and entries y si, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries qué, si, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
