If I were or If I was [duplicate]

Now I'm abroad, and my girlfriend is still in my country, her birthday was two days ago and I said " If I were there, I would do everything I could to pamper you"

Is that the correct usage of If I were or I should have said If I was?

Thanks in advance


According to the Advanced Grammar in Use (2nd edition) by Martin Hewings, Cambridge University Press:

  • in real conditionals we usually use a present tense verb in the if-clause to talk about the future: "If you leave now, you'll be able to catch the 5 o'clock train";
  • in unreal conditionals we can use if ... were + to-infinitive rather than if + past simple to talk about imaginary future situations, particularly to suggest it is unlikely that the situation in the if-clause will happen: "If the technology were to become available, we would be able ..."

In unreal conditional sentences we can use were after any subject in the if-clause, including singular first and third person subjects (e.g. I/she/he/it). This use of were is sometimes called the past subjunctive, and is generally preferred only in formal contexts: "If your mother were here, I am sure she wouldn't let you eat all those chocolates". Was can be used instead of were with the same meaning. However, we prefer were rather than was when we give advice with If I were you ....

Thus, it seems that both versions have the same meaning and are correct with the first one (with were) being a formal one.