Difference between revisions of "Expressing "if... then..." with "ruguo... jiu...""

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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).
 
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 expression with 如果⋯⋯就 ==
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== Standard Pattern ==
  
 
=== Structure===
 
=== Structure===
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
+
如果 ⋯⋯ ,就 ⋯⋯
如果 + Statement + 就 + Result
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*<em>如果</em> 不 好好 复习,你<em>就</em> 无法 通过 明天 的 考试。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> bù hǎohǎo fùxí, nǐ <em>jiù</em> wúfǎ tōngguò míngtiān de kǎoshì.</span><span class="trans">If you don't review well, you won't be able to pass tomorrow's test.</span>
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*<em>如果</em> 不 好好 复习,你<em>就</em> <span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> bù hǎohǎo fùxí, nǐ <em>jiù</em> wúfǎ tōngguò míngtiān de kǎoshì.</span><span class="trans">If you don't review well, you won't be able to pass tomorrow's test.</span>
*<em>如果</em> 不 迷恋 网络 游戏,<em>就</em>能考上好的大学 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>rúguǒ</em> bù míliàn wǎngluò yóuxì, <em>jiù</em> néng kǎo shàng hǎo de dàxué.</span><span class="trans">If he hadn't been so addicted to the video games, he would have been admitted to a better university.</span>
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*<em>如果</em> 在 上海 找 到 好 工作,我 <em>就</em> 回 老家 。<span class="trans">If I can't find a job in Beijing, I'm going to go back to Kunming.</span>
*我 <em>如果</em> 在 北京 找不到 工作,<em>就</em> 会 回 昆明。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>rúguǒ</em> zài Běijīng zhǎo bù dào gōngzuò, <em>jiù</em> huì huí Kūnmíng.</span><span class="trans">If I can't find a job in Beijing, I'm going to go back to Kunming.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==Colloquial expression with 如果⋯⋯的话 ==
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== 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 optional.
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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]]. "如果" and "就" are optional colloquially.  
  
=== Structure===
+
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
+
(如果) ⋯⋯ 的话 ,(就) ⋯⋯
如果 + Statement + 的话,(就) Result
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Examples===
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* <em>如果</em> 你 去  <em>的话</em>,帮 我 跟 她 好。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> nǐ qù <em>de huà</em>, bāng wǒ gēn tā wènhǎo.</span><span class="trans">If you go, tell her I say hello.</span>
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*见到 他们 <em>的话</em>,帮 我 问 好 。 <span class="pinyin">Jiàndào tāmen <em>dehuà</em>, bāng wǒ wènhǎo.</span><span class="trans">If you meet them, tell them I say hello.</span>
* <em>如果</em> 下次 有 时间  <em>的话</em>,一定 要 找 我 玩儿。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> xià cì yǒu shíjiān <em>de huà</em>, yīdìng yào zhǎo wán er.</span><span class="trans">When you have time, you need to find me so we can hang out.</span>
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*不 方便 <em>的话</em> ,我 就 不 去 了 。<span class="pinyin">Bù fāngbiàn <em>dehuà</em>, wǒ jiù bù qù le.</span><span class="trans">If you're not busy, come to my place and hang out.</span>
* <em>如果</em> 你 不 忙  <em>的话</em>,可以 帮 我 联系 客户 吗?<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> nǐ bù máng <em>de huà</em>, kěyǐ bāng liánxì kèhù ma?</span><span class="trans">If you're not busy, can you help me connect with customers?</span>
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*<em>如果</em> 你 喜欢 <em>的话</em> ,就 拿走 吧 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> nǐ xǐhuan <em>dehuà</em>, jiù názǒu ba.</span><span class="trans">Take it if you like it.</span>
* <em>如果</em> 方便 <em>的话</em>,我 就 不 去 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> bù fāngbiàn <em>de huà</em>, wǒ jiù bù qù le.</span>
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*有空 <em>的话</em> 来 我家 玩 。 <span class="pinyin">Yǒu kòng <em>dehuà</em> lái jiā wán.</span><span class="trans">If you're not busy, come to my place so we can hang out.</span>
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*如果 他 还是 同意 <em>的话</em> ,你 怎么办 ?<span class="pinyin">Rúguǒ tā háishì bù tóngyì <em>dehuà</em>, nǐ zěnmebàn?</span><span class="trans">What will you do if he still disagree?</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Statement + 的话,(就) Result
 
Statement + 的话,(就) Result
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  

Revision as of 02:50, 10 October 2017

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 不 好好 复习,你Rúguǒ bù hǎohǎo fùxí, nǐ jiù wúfǎ tōngguò míngtiān de kǎoshì.If you don't review well, you won't be able to pass tomorrow's test.
  • 如果 在 上海 找 不 到 好 工作,我 回 老家 。If I can't find a job in Beijing, I'm going to go back to Kunming.

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. "如果" and "就" are optional colloquially.

Structure

(如果) ⋯⋯ 的话 ,(就) ⋯⋯

Examples

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 如果 你 喜欢 的话 ,就 拿走 吧 。Rúguǒ nǐ xǐhuan dehuà, jiù názǒu ba.Take it if you like it.
  • 有空 的话 来 我家 玩 。 Yǒu kòng dehuà lái wǒ jiā wán.If you're not busy, come to my place so we can hang out.
  • 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?

Here's the slightly tricky thing: while you can use 如果 without 的话, 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.

Statement + 的话,(就) Result

  • 你 去 的话,帮 我 跟 她 问 好。 Nǐ qù de huà, bāng wǒ gēn tā wènhǎo.If you go, tell her I say hello.
  • 下次 有 时间 的话,一定 要 找 我 玩儿。 Xià cì yǒu shíjiān de huà, yīdìng yào zhǎo wǒ wán er.When you have time, you need to find me so we can hang out.
  • 你 不 忙 的话,可以 帮 我 联系 客户 吗?Nǐ bù máng de huà, kěyǐ bāng wǒ liánxì kèhù ma?If you're not busy, can you help me connect with customers?
  • 没 地方 住 的话,就 来 我 这里 吧。Méi dìfang zhù de huà, jiù lái wǒ zhèlǐ ba.

如果⋯⋯那么

这里,“那么”的用法是使得结构的前后两部分显得不那么严肃和拘束,起到一种舒缓句子节奏的作用。

Structure

如果 + Statement, 那么(就) + Result

Examples

  • 如果 你 不 去,那么 我 也 不 去。Rúguǒ nǐ bù qù, nàme wǒ yě bù qù.
  • 如果 他 知道 了,那么 他 一 定 会 来 告诉 我。Rúguǒ tā zhīdào le, nàme tā yīdìng huì lái gàosu wǒ.
  • 如果 现在 我们 不 合作,那么 我们 以后 就 没有 机会 合作 了。Rúguǒ xiànzài wǒmen bù hézuò, nàme wǒmen yǐhòu jiù méiyǒu jīhuì hézuò le.
  • 如果 你 不 相信 我,那么 我 就 什么 都 不 说 了。Rúguǒ nǐ bù xiāngxìn wǒ, nàme wǒ jiù shénme dōu bù shuō le.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books