Expressing "if... then..." with "ruguo... jiu..."

One of the benefits of Chinese is that the grammar is often very logical and concise. In this article, we look at the "如果⋯⋯，就⋯⋯" (rúguǒ..., jiù...) structure. We will also look at uses "的话" (dehuà).

Standard Pattern

Structure

"如果⋯⋯，就⋯⋯" is an often-used pattern that is utilized in the same way that "If…, then…" is in English.

如果 ⋯⋯ ，就 ⋯⋯

Examples

• 如果 你 输 了 ，就 要 给 我 一 百 块 。Rúguǒ nǐ shū le, jiù yào gěi wǒ yī bǎi kuài.If you lose, you need to give me 100 kuai.
• 如果 老板 不 满意 ，我们 就 要 继续 加班 。Rúguǒ lǎobǎn bù mǎnyì, wǒmen jiù yào jìxù jiābān.If the boss isn't satisfied, we need keep working late.
• 如果 在 上海 找 不 到 好 工作 ，我 就 回 老家 。Rúguǒ zài Shànghǎi zhǎo bu dào hǎo gōngzuò, wǒ jiù huí lǎojiā.If I can't find a nice job in Shanghai, I'm going to go back to my hometown.

Colloquial Expression

Although 如果 can be used to mean "if" all by itself, it's often used together with the phrase 的话 to create the "if" sandwich pattern. "就" is often optional. Colloquially, it's also possible to drop the 如果 and just use the 的话 instead to mean "if." It's even possible to use neither, and let the "if" be completely implied..

Structure

(如果) ⋯⋯ 的话 ，(就) ⋯⋯

Examples

• 如果 他 还是 不 同意 的话 ，你 怎么办 ？Rúguǒ tā háishì bù tóngyì dehuà, nǐ zěnmebàn?What will you do if he still disagree?
• 如果 你 喜欢 的话 ，就 拿走 吧 。Rúguǒ nǐ xǐhuan dehuà, jiù názǒu ba.Take it if you like it.
• 不 方便 的话 ，我 就 不 去 了 。Bù fāngbiàn dehuà, wǒ jiù bù qù le.If you're not busy, come to my place and hang out.
• 见到 他们 的话，帮 我 问 好 。 Jiàndào tāmen dehuà, bāng wǒ wènhǎo.If you meet them, tell them I say hello.
• 有空 来 我 家 玩 。Yǒu kòng lái wǒ jiā wán.If you're not busy, come to my place so we can hang out.

Colloquial 那么 after 如果

“那么”的功能是让这个句式显得不那么拘谨，起舒缓句子节奏的作用。口语里常常省略为"那"。

Structure

如果 ⋯⋯ ，那么 /那 + Subj. (就) ⋯⋯

Examples

• 如果 他 知道 ，那 他 一 定 会 告诉 我 。Rúguǒ tā zhīdào, nà tā yīdìng huì gàosu wǒ.If he knew, he would definitely tell me.
• 如果 你 不 相信 我，那 我 就 不 说 了。Rúguǒ nǐ bù xiāngxìn wǒ, nà wǒ jiù bù shuō le.If you don't trust me, I will just stop talking.
• 如果 你们 想 跟 我们 合作 ，那么 你们 就 要 提供 最好 的 解决方案 。Rúguǒ nǐmen xiǎng gēn wǒmen hézuò, nàme nǐmen jiù yào tígōng zuìhǎo de jiějué fāng'àn.If you want to cooperate with us, you need to provide the best solution.

See also

• Marking a topic with "de hua"
• "If… then…" with "yaoshi"
• "If… then…" with "jiaru"
• "Only if" with "zhiyou"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 184) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 240) →buy