conditional clause

In grammar, a conditional clause is a type of subordinate clause that states a condition. This condition must be met for the main clause to be true or to occur. Conditional clauses are often introduced by the word "if".1

For example, in the sentence "If it rains, we will stay inside," the clause "If it rains" is the conditional clause, and "we will stay inside" is the main clause. The action in the main clause (staying inside) is dependent on the condition in the subordinate clause (it raining).2

Conditional clauses are a fundamental part of sentence structure in many languages, including English and Romance languages, and play a crucial role in expressing hypothetical situations and logical relationships.23