Difference between revisions of "Expressing "if it were not for" with "yaobushi""
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| − | {{Grammar Box}} | + | {{Grammar Box}} |
| − | + | 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 == | |
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<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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要不是 ⋯⋯（的话），⋯⋯ | 要不是 ⋯⋯（的话），⋯⋯ | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | The second part of the sentence tells ''what would have happened'' otherwise. | |
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| + | == Examples == | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *<em>要不是</em> 你，我 会 迷路。<span class="pinyin"><em> | + | *<em>要不是</em> 你，我 会 迷路。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> nǐ, wǒ huì mílù.</span><span class="trans">If it weren't for you, I would get lost.</span> |
| − | *<em>要不是</em> 她 帮忙，我们 | + | *<em>要不是</em> 她 帮忙，我们 不 可能 这么 快 找到 这 个 地方。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> tā bāngmáng, wǒmen bù kěnéng zhème kuài zhǎodào zhège dìfang.</span><span class="trans">We couldn't have found this place so quickly without her help.</span> |
| − | *<em>要不是</em> 你 说 你 想 吃，我 不 会 做 这 个 菜 的。<span class="pinyin"><em> | + | *<em>要不是</em> 你 说 你 想 吃，我 不 会 做 这 个 菜 的。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> nǐ shuō nǐ xiǎng chī, wǒ bù huì zuò zhège cài de.</span><span class="trans">I wouldn't have made this dish if you hadn't said that you wanted to eat it.</span> |
| − | *<em>要不是</em> 因为 他 是 你 朋友，我 是 不 会 帮 他 的。<span class="pinyin"><em> | + | *<em>要不是</em> 因为 他 是 你 朋友，我 是 不 会 帮 他 的。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> yīnwèi tā shì nǐ péngyou, wǒ shì bù huì bāng tā de.</span><span class="trans">I wouldn't have helped him if it were not for him being your friend.</span> |
| − | *<em>要不是</em> 我 有 | + | *<em>要不是</em> 我 有 急事 ，我 会 陪 你 去 看 电影 的 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> wǒ yǒu jíshì, wǒ huì péi nǐ qù kàn diànyǐng de.</span><span class="trans">If I didn't have something urgent to do, I would go to the movies with you.</span> |
| − | *<em>要不是</em> 你 这么 忙，我们 早就 见面 了。<span class="pinyin"><em> | + | *<em>要不是</em> 你 这么 忙，我们 早就 见面 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> nǐ zhème máng, wǒmen zǎojiù jiànmiàn le.</span><span class="trans">If you hadn't been so busy, we'd have met long ago.</span> |
| − | *<em>要不是</em> 你 刚才 说 错 话，他 是 不 会 生气 的。<span class="pinyin"><em> | + | *<em>要不是</em> 你 刚才 说 错 话，他 是 不 会 生气 的。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> nǐ gāngcái shuō cuò huà, tā shì bù huì shēngqì de.</span><span class="trans">He wouldn't have gotten mad if it weren't for you saying the wrong thing just now.</span> |
| − | *<em>要不是</em> 你们 迟到 | + | *<em>要不是</em> 你们 迟到 <em>的话</em> ，我们 早就 到 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> nǐmen chídào <em>dehuà</em>, wǒmen zǎojiù dào le.</span><span class="trans">We would have gotten there long ago if it were not for you all being late.</span> |
| − | *<em>要不是</em> 妈妈 发现 了 | + | *<em>要不是</em> 妈妈 发现 了 <em>的话</em> ，还 可以 在 我 家 聚会。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> māma fāxiàn le <em>dehuà</em>, hái kěyǐ zài wǒ jiā jùhuì.</span><span class="trans">If Mom hadn't found out, we could have had the get-together at my house.</span> |
| − | *<em>要不是</em> 堵车 | + | *<em>要不是</em> 堵车 <em>的话</em> ，我 现在 已经 到 上海 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobùshì</em> dǔchē <em>dehuà</em>, wǒ xiànzài yǐjīng dào Shànghǎi le.</span><span class="trans">If it weren't for the traffic jam, I'd be in Shanghai by now.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
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[[Category:B2 grammar points]] | [[Category:B2 grammar points]] | ||
Latest revision as of 09:22, 14 January 2021
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），⋯⋯
The second part of the sentence tells what would have happened otherwise.
Examples
- 要不是 你，我 会 迷路。If it weren't for you, I would get lost.
- 要不是 她 帮忙，我们 不 可能 这么 快 找到 这 个 地方。We couldn't have found this place so quickly without her help.
- 要不是 你 说 你 想 吃，我 不 会 做 这 个 菜 的。I wouldn't have made this dish if you hadn't said that you wanted to eat it.
- 要不是 因为 他 是 你 朋友，我 是 不 会 帮 他 的。I wouldn't have helped him if it were not for him being your friend.
- 要不是 我 有 急事 ，我 会 陪 你 去 看 电影 的 。If I didn't have something urgent to do, I would go to the movies with you.
- 要不是 你 这么 忙，我们 早就 见面 了。If you hadn't been so busy, we'd have met long ago.
- 要不是 你 刚才 说 错 话，他 是 不 会 生气 的。He wouldn't have gotten mad if it weren't for you saying the wrong thing just now.
- 要不是 你们 迟到 的话 ，我们 早就 到 了。We would have gotten there long ago if it were not for you all being late.
- 要不是 妈妈 发现 了 的话 ，还 可以 在 我 家 聚会。If Mom hadn't found out, we could have had the get-together at my house.
- 要不是 堵车 的话 ，我 现在 已经 到 上海 了。If it weren't for the traffic jam, I'd be in Shanghai by now.
