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I want to set a condition only if you are done with eating I will join you. Could I write it like this?

If you have eaten dinner with your family tomorrow I will join you

Or is it wrong and perfect would be used if something is already done now and not in the future?

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    The present perfect is fine here, but it should be "when", not "if".
    – Billy Kerr
    Commented Nov 5 at 1:18
  • I get that you're talking about the speaker joining the dinner of the person he's talking to. But, I think, the validity of the latter will depend on the action. If the speaker will join the dinner—which is already done—it would be quite illogical. But if the speaker would join on something else, say for example, A will join B in his dance or in his video game tomorrow if he has eaten with his family. I guess, it would sound weird if he would join on something that is already done. In my opinion, I'd say that it might be wrong to use it on that case.
    – KingofSpades
    Commented Nov 5 at 1:20

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If you have eaten dinner with your family tomorrow I will join you.

It is fine to use the perfect, but if isn't suitable; we should use when or after:

When (or After) you have eaten dinner with your family tomorrow, I will join you.

I will join you when (or after) you have eaten dinner with your family tomorrow.

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  • How come this is valid? grammaring.com/present-perfect-in-the-first-conditional
    – train bee 282
    Commented Nov 5 at 6:50
  • If I have finished my paper by tonight gives a reference point in time. Your example doesn't. Of course the family will finish dinner tomorrow at some point, but the speaker's intention to join them must be dependent on them finishing by a certain time.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Nov 5 at 9:27
  • @Kate Bunting So it similar to future perfect? "If you have eaten when I get home I will be happy: than is correct?
    – train bee 282
    Commented Nov 5 at 9:55
  • Yes; then the reference point is when I get home.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Nov 5 at 12:38

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