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

(Undo revision 18925 by Parry (talk))
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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).
  
== Simple Structure with just 如果 ==
+
== Standard expression with 如果...就 ==
 +
 
 +
=== 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..." is an often-used pattern that is utilized in the same way that "''If..., then...''" is in English.  
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</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples with just 如果 ==
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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</div>
 
</div>
  
== Fuller Structure with 的话 ==
+
==Colloquial expression with 如果...的话 ==
 +
 
 +
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.
  
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]].
+
=== Structure===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
如果 + Statement + 的话, + + Result
+
如果 + Statement + 的话, (就)Result
 +
 
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
=== Examples===
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
* <em>如果</em> 你 去  <em>的话</em>,帮 我 跟 她 问 好。 <span class="trans">If you go, tell her 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="trans">When you have time, you need to find me so we can 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="trans">If you're not busy, can you help me connect with customers?</span>
 +
* <em>如果</em> 不 方便 <em>的话</em>,我 不 去 了。
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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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.
 
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.
  
== Examples with 的话 ==
+
<div class="jiegou">
 +
 
 +
Statement + 的话,  (就)Result
 +
 
 +
</div>
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 如果 你 去  <em>的话</em>,帮 我 跟 她 问 好。 <span class="expl">(Using both 如果 and 的话)</span> <span class="trans">If you go, tell her I say hello.</span>
+
* 你 去  <em>的话</em>,帮 我 跟 她 问 好。 <span class="trans">If you go, tell her I say hello.</span>
* 下次 有 时间  <em>的话</em>,一定 要 找 我 玩儿。<span class="expl">(Using only 的话)</span> <span class="trans">When you have time, you need to find me so we can hang out.</span>
+
* 下次 有 时间  <em>的话</em>,一定 要 找 我 玩儿。 <span class="trans">When you have time, you need to find me so we can hang out.</span>
* 如果 你 不 忙 <em>的话</em>,可以 帮 我 联系 客户 吗?<span class="expl">(Using both 如果 and 的话)</span> <span class="trans">If you're not busy, can you help me connect with customers?</span>
+
* 你 不 忙 <em>的话</em>,可以 帮 我 联系 客户 吗?<span class="trans">If you're not busy, can you help me connect with customers?</span>
 +
* 没 地方 住 <em>的话</em>,就 来 我 这里 吧。
 +
 
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
== 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===
 +
 
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
 
 +
如果 + Statement, 那么(就) + Result
 +
 
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
=== Examples ===
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
  
 +
* <em>如果</em> 你 不 去,<em>那么</em> 我 也 不 去。
 +
* <em>如果</em> 他 知道 了,<em>那么</em> 他 一 定 会 来 告诉 我。
 +
* <em>如果</em> 现在 我们 不 合作,<em>那么</em> 我们 以后 就 没有 机会 合作 了。
 +
* <em>如果</em> 你 不 相信 我,<em>那么</em> 我 就 什么 都 不 说 了。
 
</div>
 
</div>
  

Revision as of 03:10, 10 February 2014

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

Structure

"如果..., 就..." is an often-used pattern that is utilized in the same way that "If..., then..." is in English.

如果 + Statement + 就 + Result

Examples

  • 如果 不 好好 复习,你 无法 通过 明天 的 考试。If you don't review well, you won't be able to pass tomorrow's test.
  • 如果 不 迷恋 网络 游戏,能考上好的大学 。If he hadn't been so addicted to the video games,he would have been admitted to a better university.
  • 如果 在 北京 找不到 工作, 会 回 昆明。If I can't find a job in Beijing, I'm going to go back to Kunming.

Colloquial expression with 如果...的话

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.

Structure

如果 + Statement + 的话, (就)Result

Examples

  • 如果 你 去 的话,帮 我 跟 她 问 好。 If you go, tell her I say hello.
  • 如果 下次 有 时间 的话,一定 要 找 我 玩儿。When you have time, you need to find me so we can hang out.
  • 如果 你 不 忙 的话,可以 帮 我 联系 客户 吗?If you're not busy, can you help me connect with customers?
  • 如果 不 方便 的话,我 就 不 去 了。

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。 If you go, tell her I say hello.
  • 下次 有 时间 的话,一定 要 找 我 玩儿。 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?If you're not busy, can you help me connect with customers?
  • 没 地方 住 的话,就 来 我 这里 吧。

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。
  • 如果 他 知道 了,那么 他 一 定 会 来 告诉 我。
  • 如果 现在 我们 不 合作,那么 我们 以后 就 没有 机会 合作 了。
  • 如果 你 不 相信 我,那么 我 就 什么 都 不 说 了。

See also

Sources and further reading

Books