"if i were not here" vs "if i was not here"

Question

"if i were not here" vs "if i was not here"

Both "if I were not here" and "if I was not here" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "If I were not here" is the subjunctive mood, used for hypothetical or unreal situations. "If I was not here" is the past simple tense, used for real situations in the past.

Last Updated: March 30, 2024

This phrase is in the subjunctive mood, used for hypothetical or unreal situations. It expresses a situation that is contrary to fact or unlikely to happen.

Examples:

If I were not here, who would take care of the children?
If I were not here, I would be traveling the world.
If I were not here, things would be very different.
If I were not here, the project would fail.
If I were not here, the team would struggle.

Alternatives:

if I were not present
if I were not around
if I were not in this place
if I were absent
if I were away

This phrase is in the past simple tense, used for real situations in the past. It describes a situation that actually happened.

Examples:

If I was not here yesterday, where could I have been?
If I was not here last week, I must have been sick.
If I was not here at the party, then who saw me?
If I was not here during the meeting, I missed an important discussion.
If I was not here on time, I apologize.

Alternatives:

if I was not present
if I was not around
if I was not in this place
if I was absent
if I was away

Answer 1

if i were not here

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English, especially in hypothetical or unreal situations.

Answer 2

if i was not here

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English, especially for real situations in the past.

"if i were not here" vs "if i was not here"

if i were not here

if i was not here

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