Difference between revisions of "Expressing "if… then…" with "yaoshi""
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | *你 <em>要是</em> 真 想 我，<em>就</em> 给 我 打 电话 。<span class="trans">If you do miss me, then give me a call.</span> | |
| − | *你 <em>要是</em> 真 想 我，<em>就</em> 给 我 打 电话 | + | *<em>要是</em> 我妈 知道 这 件 事，我 <em>就</em> 死 定了 ! <span class="trans">If my mother knew about this, I would be so dead!</span> |
| − | *<em>要是</em> 我妈 知道 这 件 事，我 <em>就</em> 死 定了!<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="trans">If the boss doesn't agree, we can't sign the contract with the client.</span> |
| − | *<em>要是</em> 老板 不 同意，我们 <em>就</em> 不 能 跟 客户 签 | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | 如果“要是”在主语后，“要是”可以省略为“要”。 | |
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *你 <em>要</em> 再 说 ， 我 | + | *你 <em>要</em> 再 说 ， 我 真 生气 了 。<span class="trans">If you keep talking this way, I'll get mad. Seriously.</span> |
*他 <em>要</em> 不 听 ， 我 也 没 办法 。<span class="trans">If he doesn't listen, there's nothing I can do about it.</span> | *他 <em>要</em> 不 听 ， 我 也 没 办法 。<span class="trans">If he doesn't listen, there's nothing I can do about it.</span> | ||
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== Negative Form == | == Negative Form == | ||
| − | + | if it weren't for | |
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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*<em>要 不 是</em> 亲眼 看到 ，我 也 不 相信 。<span class="trans">If I hadn't seen it for myself, I wouldn't believe it.</span> | *<em>要 不 是</em> 亲眼 看到 ，我 也 不 相信 。<span class="trans">If I hadn't seen it for myself, I wouldn't believe it.</span> | ||
*<em>要 不 是</em> 你 提醒 我 ，我 肯定 忘 了 。<span class="trans">If it weren't for your reminding me, I would have forgotten.</span> | *<em>要 不 是</em> 你 提醒 我 ，我 肯定 忘 了 。<span class="trans">If it weren't for your reminding me, I would have forgotten.</span> | ||
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| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Colloquial Saying 要我说 == | ||
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| + | Literally 要我说 means "if you ask for my opinion." | ||
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| + | A few examples: | ||
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| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
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| + | *<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> ，你 应该 早点 做 准备 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, nǐ yīnggāi zǎodiǎn zuò zhǔnbèi.</span><span class="trans">In my opinion, you should start to prepare soon.</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> | ||
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[[Category: B2 grammar points]] | [[Category: B2 grammar points]] | ||
| − | {{Basic Grammar|要是|B2|要是⋯⋯，就⋯⋯|<em>要是</em> | + | {{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|"If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"}} | {{Similar|"If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"}} | ||
{{Similar|"If… then…" with "jiaru"}} | {{Similar|"If… then…" with "jiaru"}} | ||
Revision as of 04:50, 14 February 2018
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Used for
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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
Positive Form
Structure
要是 Subj. ⋯⋯ ， 就 ⋯⋯
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, we can't sign the contract with the client.
如果“要是”在主语后，“要是”可以省略为“要”。
- 你 要 再 说 ， 我 真 生气 了 。If you keep talking this way, I'll get mad. Seriously.
- 他 要 不 听 ， 我 也 没 办法 。If he doesn't listen, there's nothing I can do about it.
Negative Form
if it weren't for
Structure
要不是 ⋯⋯ ， 就 ⋯⋯
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 kids, I would have divorced him sooner.
- 要 不 是 堵车 ，我 早就 到 了 。If it weren't for the traffic jam, I would have gotten here 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.
- 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 ，你 应该 早点 做 准备 。In my opinion, you should start to prepare soon.
- 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
- 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]
