Difference between revisions of "Expressing "if… then…" with "yaoshi""
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{{Grammar Box}} | {{Grammar Box}} | ||
| + | 要是⋯⋯，就⋯⋯ (yàoshi..., jiù...) is one of several ways to convey "If..., then..." It is very similar to [["If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"|如果..., 就...]] in usage and formality. However, it is important to note that 要是 is considered to be even more informal (and is usually left more to spoken Chinese) than [["If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"|the common 如果]] and used more frequently in the northern areas of China. | ||
| − | + | == Affirmative Form == | |
| − | ==Structure== | + | === Structure === |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | 要是 + Subj. ⋯⋯ ， 就 ⋯⋯ | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Note that the subject can also be placed before 要是. In this case, 要是 can be shortened as 要. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Examples === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | *你 <em>要是</em> 真 想 我 ，<em>就</em> 给 我 打 电话 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yàoshi</em> zhēn xiǎng wǒ, <em>jiù</em> gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">If you do miss me, then give me a call.</span> | ||
| + | *<em>要是</em> 我 妈 知道 这 件 事 ，我 <em>就</em> 死 定了 ! <span class="pinyin"><em>Yàoshi</em> wǒ mā zhīdào zhè jiàn shì, wǒ <em>jiù</em> sǐ dìng le!</span><span class="trans">If my mother knew about this, I would be so dead!</span> | ||
| + | *<em>要是</em> 老板 不 同意，我们 <em>就</em> 不 能 跟 客户 签 合同 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàoshi</em> lǎobǎn bù tóngyì, wǒmen <em>jiù</em> bù néng gēn kèhù qiān hétóng.</span><span class="trans">If the boss doesn't agree, then we can't sign the contract with the client.</span> | ||
| + | *你 <em>要</em> 再 说 ，我 真 生气 了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yào</em> zàishuō, wǒ zhēn shēngqì le.</span><span class="trans">If you keep talking that way, I'm really gonna get angry.</span> | ||
| + | *他 <em>要</em> 不 听 ，我 也 没 办法 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yào</em> bù tīng, wǒ yě méi bànfǎ.</span><span class="trans">If he doesn't listen, there's nothing I can do about it.</span> | ||
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Negative Form == | ||
| + | |||
| + | 要不是 is pretty much the same as the English saying "if it weren't for." | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | 要不是 ⋯⋯ ，⋯⋯ | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Examples === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | *<em>要 不 是</em> 他 求 我 ， 我 才 不 帮 你 呢 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> tā qiú wǒ, wǒ cái bù bāng nǐ ne.</span><span class="trans">If it weren't because he begged me, I wouldn't be helping you.</span> | |
| + | *<em>要 不 是</em> 因为 孩子 ，我 早就 离婚 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> yīnwèi háizi, wǒ zǎo jiù líhūn le.</span><span class="trans">If it weren't for the sake of the kids, I would have gotten divorced long ago.</span> | ||
| + | *<em>要 不 是</em> 堵车 ，我 早就 到 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> dǔchē, wǒ zǎo jiù dào le.</span><span class="trans">If it weren't for the traffic jam, I would have gotten here much sooner.</span> | ||
| + | *<em>要 不 是</em> 亲眼 看到 ，我 也 不 相信 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> qīnyǎn kàn dào, wǒ yě bù xiāngxìn.</span><span class="trans">If I hadn't seen it for myself, I wouldn't believe it either.</span> | ||
| + | *<em>要 不 是</em> 你 提醒 我 ，我 肯定 忘 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> nǐ tíxǐng wǒ, wǒ kěndìng wàng le.</span><span class="trans">If it weren't for your reminding me, I would have forgotten.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == | + | == Colloquial Saying 要我说 == |
| + | |||
| + | Literally 要我说 means "if you ask for my opinion." | ||
| + | |||
| + | A few examples: | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *<em> | + | *<em>要我说</em> ，你 先 别 告诉 她 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, nǐ xiān bié gàosu tā.</span><span class="trans">I say don't tell her yet.</span> |
| − | * | + | *<em>要我说</em> ，他 就是 太 懒 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, tā jiù shì tài lǎn.</span><span class="trans">I say he's just too lazy.</span> |
| − | *<em> | + | *<em>要我说</em> ，我们 应该 早点 做 准备 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, wǒmen yīnggāi zǎodiǎn zuò zhǔnbèi.</span><span class="trans">In my opinion, we should get prepared sooner.</span> |
| − | *<em> | + | *<em>要我说</em> ，这个 人 不 能 信 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, zhège rén bù néng xìn.</span><span class="trans">In my opinion, this man can't be trusted.</span> |
| − | * | + | *<em>要我说</em> ，什么时候 开始 都 不 晚 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, shénme shíhou kāishǐ dōu bù wǎn.</span><span class="trans">I say it's never too late to start.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | ==See also== | + | == See also == |
| + | |||
*[["If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"]] | *[["If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"]] | ||
*[["If… then…" with "jiaru"]] | *[["If… then…" with "jiaru"]] | ||
| Line 32: | Line 72: | ||
=== Books === | === Books === | ||
| − | + | {{Source|HSK Standard Course 4上|85}} | |
| − | + | {{Source|Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) |246}} | |
| − | + | {{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|278}} | |
| − | + | {{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)|41-2}} | |
| + | {{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册）|502}} | ||
[[Category: B2 grammar points]] | [[Category: B2 grammar points]] | ||
| − | {{Basic Grammar|要是|B2|要是⋯⋯，就⋯⋯|<em>要是</em> | + | {{HSK|HSK4}} |
| − | {{ | + | {{Basic Grammar|要是|B2|要是⋯⋯，就⋯⋯|你 <em>要是</em> 真 想 我，<em>就</em> 给 我 打 电话 。|grammar point|ASGN4S8O}} |
| − | + | {{Similar|Expressing "if... then..." with "ruguo... jiu..."}} | |
| − | + | {{Similar|Expressing "if" with "ruguo... dehua"}} | |
| − | {{Similar|" | + | {{Similar|Expressing "if… then…" with "jiaru"}} |
| − | {{Similar|" | + | {{Similar|Expressing "if… then…" with "jiashi"}} |
| − | {{Similar|" | ||
| − | |||
{{Used for|Indicating cause and effect}} | {{Used for|Indicating cause and effect}} | ||
{{Used for|Indicating conditions}} | {{Used for|Indicating conditions}} | ||
Latest revision as of 08:07, 17 December 2020
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Keywords
要是⋯⋯，就⋯⋯ (yàoshi..., jiù...) is one of several ways to convey "If..., then..." It is very similar to 如果..., 就... in usage and formality. However, it is important to note that 要是 is considered to be even more informal (and is usually left more to spoken Chinese) than the common 如果 and used more frequently in the northern areas of China.
Contents
Affirmative Form
Structure
要是 + Subj. ⋯⋯ ， 就 ⋯⋯
Note that the subject can also be placed before 要是. In this case, 要是 can be shortened as 要.
Examples
- 你 要是 真 想 我 ，就 给 我 打 电话 。If you do miss me, then give me a call.
- 要是 我 妈 知道 这 件 事 ，我 就 死 定了 ! If my mother knew about this, I would be so dead!
- 要是 老板 不 同意，我们 就 不 能 跟 客户 签 合同 。If the boss doesn't agree, then we can't sign the contract with the client.
- 你 要 再 说 ，我 真 生气 了 。If you keep talking that way, I'm really gonna get angry.
- 他 要 不 听 ，我 也 没 办法 。If he doesn't listen, there's nothing I can do about it.
Negative Form
要不是 is pretty much the same as the English saying "if it weren't for."
Structure
要不是 ⋯⋯ ，⋯⋯
Examples
- 要 不 是 他 求 我 ， 我 才 不 帮 你 呢 。If it weren't because he begged me, I wouldn't be helping you.
- 要 不 是 因为 孩子 ，我 早就 离婚 了 。If it weren't for the sake of the kids, I would have gotten divorced long ago.
- 要 不 是 堵车 ，我 早就 到 了 。If it weren't for the traffic jam, I would have gotten here much sooner.
- 要 不 是 亲眼 看到 ，我 也 不 相信 。If I hadn't seen it for myself, I wouldn't believe it either.
- 要 不 是 你 提醒 我 ，我 肯定 忘 了 。If it weren't for your reminding me, I would have forgotten.
Colloquial Saying 要我说
Literally 要我说 means "if you ask for my opinion."
A few examples:
- 要我说 ，你 先 别 告诉 她 。I say don't tell her yet.
- 要我说 ，他 就是 太 懒 。I say he's just too lazy.
- 要我说 ，我们 应该 早点 做 准备 。In my opinion, we should get prepared sooner.
- 要我说 ，这个 人 不 能 信 。In my opinion, this man can't be trusted.
- 要我说 ，什么时候 开始 都 不 晚 。I say it's never too late to start.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- HSK Standard Course 4上 (pp. 85) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 246) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 278) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 41-2) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (pp. 502) [ →buy]
