"Ungekwenda ungemwona"

Translation: If you went, you would see him

[BB8eZ2Cd]

why is this " if you went" and not :"if you were to go"?

[theowlkidnappdme]

Nge and ngali are for the past.
If you were to go is in the future

[AGreatUserName]

No. "If you went" and "if you were to go" have the same meaning (unge(kw)enda). "Were to go" is simply a more formal way to say it in English. Neither has anything to do with the past. They are about a hypothetical present (or unrealistic future) situation.

[AGreatUserName]

Both should be accepted as they mean the same thing.

[SiwHelgesson]

This does not function. I do not hear any sound. So I can not answer.

[Suzie-vdg.]

why is it not 'ungeenda...?

[AGreatUserName]

That should also be accepted. Both variations are used. (I got this as a listening exercise though, and I heard ungekwenda.)

[BenMack8]

There is a difference in nuance between "If i were to go," and "If i went!" Is that the same in Swahili? 20201019

[AGreatUserName]

Yes, it's the same in Swahili. "If I were to go" is basically the same as "if I went" and is merely a more formal register. It can also also express a slightly higher grade of doubt, emphasising a little bit more that it is only a hypothetical situation. Both "if you went" and "if you were to go" should be accepted.

[Ljmlbor5]

"If you went" does not mean the same to me as "if you were to go". To me the former means "if you had gone (you would have seen him, but now you've missed your chance)". To me the latter, "if you were to go", is still an option and means "should you decide to go/if you would decide to go".
So far most of the grammar has made sence to me, even the poor translations didn't bother me too much. But now I really feel lost! But then the word "would" is used differently throughout the English speaking world. As in: I WOULD use the word 'would' in many more situations (and that means, I use the word would a whole lot more).