Difference between revisions of "Expressing "if… then…" with "yaoshi""

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*<em>要是</em> 你 不去 上班 , 老板 <em>就</em> 会 解雇 你!
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*<em>要是</em> 你 不去 上班 , 老板 <em>就</em> 会 解雇 你!<span class="trans">If you don't go to work, your boss will fire you!</span>
*<em>要是</em> 我 不 现在 开始 工作, 我 <em>就</em> 不 能 按时 完成。
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*<em>要是</em> 我 不 现在 开始 工作, 我 <em>就</em> 不 能 按时 完成。<span class="trans">If I don't start this work now, there's no way I'll be able to finish it on time.</span>
*<em>要是</em> 他 不 来,我们 <em>就</em> 走 吧。
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*<em>要是</em> 他 不 来,我们 <em>就</em> 走 吧。<span class="trans">If he doesn't come, we'll have to go.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 07:17, 20 June 2013

"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 如果 and used more frequently in the northern areas of China.

Structure

要是 + [statement] + 就 + [result]

Examples

  • 要是 你 不去 上班 , 老板 会 解雇 你!If you don't go to work, your boss will fire you!
  • 要是 我 不 现在 开始 工作, 我 不 能 按时 完成。If I don't start this work now, there's no way I'll be able to finish it on time.
  • 要是 他 不 来,我们 走 吧。If he doesn't come, we'll have to go.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books