Expressing "if it were not for" with "yaobushi"

要不是 (yàobushì) is almost the same as "如果不是⋯⋯ "， and it may followed by "的话," meaning "if it were not for" or "without."

Structure

要不是 ⋯⋯（的话），⋯⋯

Examples

• 要不是 她 帮忙，我们 不可能 这么 快 找到 这 个 地方。Yào bùshì tā bāngmáng, wǒmen bù kěnéng zhème kuài zhǎodào zhè gè dìfāng.We couldn't have found this place without her help.
• 要不是 你 说 你 想 吃，我 不 会 做 这 个 菜 的。Yào bùshì nǐ shuō nǐ xiǎng chī, wǒ bù huì zuò zhè gè cài de.I wouldn't have made this dish if you hadn't said that you want to eat.
• 要不是 因为 他 是 你 朋友，我 是 不 会 帮 他 的。Yào bùshì yīnwèi tā shì nǐ péngyǒu, wǒ shì bù huì bāng tā de.I wouldn't have helped him if it were not for him being a friend with you.
• 要不是 你们 迟到 的话，我们 早 就 到 了。Yào bùshì nǐmen chídào dehuà, wǒmen zǎo jiù dàole.We would have gotten here earlier if it were not for you being late.
• 要不是 你 刚才 说 错 话，他 是 不 会 生气 的。Yào bùshì nǐ gāngcái shuō cuò huà, tā shì bù huì shēngqì de.He wouldn't be mad if it were not for something wrong you just said.

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5