"If I was available, we spent some time chatting"

[FalaGringo]

Does it feel slightly odd using "If" instead of "When", when talking about past situations?

If = When

The use of If I / she / he was is correct when used to express something that was always true in a certain situation in the past. In this case, the meaning of if is similar to when.

• If he comes to town, we go out for lunch. = When he comes to town, we go out for lunch.
• If I was available, we spent some time chatting. = When I was available, we spent some time chatting.
• https://www.Sthoughtco.com/if-i-was-vs-if-i-were-examples-quiz-4589163

 

[emsr2d2]

[STRIKE]Does it feel[/STRIKE] Is it slightly odd [STRIKE]using[/STRIKE] to use "if" instead of "when" no comma here when talking about past situations?

If = When

The use of If I/she/he was is correct when used to express something that was always true in a certain situation in the past. In this case, the meaning of if is similar to when.

1. If he comes to town, we go out for lunch. = When he comes to town, we go out for lunch.
2. If I was available, we spent some time chatting. = When I was available, we spent some time chatting.

Source: https://www.Sthoughtco.com/if-i-was-vs-if-i-were-examples-quiz-4589163

Please note my corrections above, and note that I changed post #1 to remove all the unnecessary bold and to put the whole post in the default font and size. Please make sure you use those defaults in all your posts.

In sentence 1, you could replace "If" with "When", although I'd use "Whenever" or "Every time".
Sentence 2 doesn't make sense. You were either available or you weren't, and you either chatted or your didn't. If you were free for a chat, then "When I was available, we spent some time chatting" should be used. If you didn't have time and, therefore, didn't chat, use "If I had been available, we would have spent some time chatting".

 

[5jj]

Sentence 2 doesn't make sense. You were either available or you weren't, and you either chatted or your didn't. If you were free for a chat, then "When I was available, we spent some time chatting" should be used. If you didn't have time and, therefore, didn't chat, use "If I had been available, we would have spent some time chatting".

I don't agree.

2. If I was available, we spent some time chatting

That makes sense to me. There is little significant difference in meaning in that type of sentence between if and when. If suggests perhaps the possibility that I was not available sometimes.

 

[jutfrank]

In sentence 2, I really want to hear would in the main clause:

2. If I was available, we'd spend some time chatting.