since x if

[beachboy]

How can he learn this poem by heart if he can't remember his own name?
Can I use since instead of if in this sentence?

[5jj]

How can he learn this poem by heart if he can't rembember his own name?
Can I use since instead of if in this sentence?

It's possible, with a slightly different shade of meaning.

[bhaisahab]

How can he learn this poem by heart if he can't rembember his own name?
Can I use since instead of if in this sentence?

No. You could say, "Since he can't remember his own name, it's unlikely he'll be able to learn this poem by heart".

[5jj]

I understand why bhaisahab said 'No' . His suggested answer is certainly better than "How can he learn this poem by heart since he can't remember his own name?", but I think that this one is possible.

[bhaisahab]

I understand why bhaisahab said 'No' . His suggested answer is certainly better than "How can he learn this poem by heart since he can't remember his own name?", but I think that this one is possible.

On reflection, I retract the "no" part of my answer, I'll say instead that I don't like it.