3.5.1.3.3. Order of the components of the counterfactual conditional clause
Counterfactual conditions just like factual conditionals follow a strict order of clauses. The antecedent clause precedes the consequent clause [Syntax 3.5.1.2.3].
In some cases, it is not easy to differentiate between factual and counterfactual conditional clauses because both use the same markers. In these cases, the context can help to set the two types of clauses apart. If the previous context is in the past or if there are temporal adverbs indicating past, then this can be a clue for a counterfactual conditional. Since verbs in DGS do not inflect for tense [Morphology 3.2], past tense is shown by the use of temporal adverbs such as yesterday and recently. Another clue is the signer’s epistemic modality. This addresses what is known and believed and indicates how much certainty or evidence the signer has for his utterance [Syntax 3.3.3.2].