Difference between revisions of "Expressing "unless" with "chufei""

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===Examples===
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=== Examples ===
  
 
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*他们 不 降价 ,<em>除非</em> 我们 买 很 多 。<span class="trans">They won't reduce the price unless we buy a lot.</span>
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*你 不能 进 ,<em>除非</em> 你 有 预约 。<span class="trans">You can't come in unless you have an appointment.</span>
 
*我 不 去 ,<em>除非</em> 你 也 去 。<span class="trans">I won't go unless you go.</span>
 
*我 不 去 ,<em>除非</em> 你 也 去 。<span class="trans">I won't go unless you go.</span>
 
*我 不 说 ,<em>除非</em> 你 答应 我 不会 生气 。<span class="trans">I won't tell you unless you promise me that you won't be upset.</span>
 
*我 不 说 ,<em>除非</em> 你 答应 我 不会 生气 。<span class="trans">I won't tell you unless you promise me that you won't be upset.</span>

Revision as of 08:00, 28 August 2017

除非 (chúfēi) can be used as a conjunction, and means "unless." 否则 (fǒuzé) or 不然 (bùrán) often appear in the following phrase, to form a construction meaning "unless x, otherwise y":

Simplified Construction

The simplified construction more directly maps to the basic English usage of "unless," as in, "I won't do it unless you pay me."

Structure

除非 means "unless" in the following "y , 除非 x" pattern. The sentences below place emphasis on the part after 除非.

Result / Fact ,除非 + Condition

Examples

  • 你 不能 进 ,除非 你 有 预约 。You can't come in unless you have an appointment.
  • 我 不 去 ,除非 你 也 去 。I won't go unless you go.
  • 我 不 说 ,除非 你 答应 我 不会 生气 。I won't tell you unless you promise me that you won't be upset.
  • 你 不 会 这么 快 升职 ,除非 你 表现 很 好 。You won't get promoted so soon unless you perform very well.
  • 我们 公司 一般 不 允许 员工 请假 ,除非 理由 很 充分 。The company won't allow it's staff time off unless their reason is good enough.

Advanced Construction

In the full construction, 除非 comes first, and the meaning is "Unless x, otherwise y."

Structure

除非 + Condition ,否则 / 不然 + Result / Fact

Examples

  • 除非 你 是 会员 ,否则 不能 进去 。Unless you have the membership, yo can't come in.
  • 除非 有 奇迹 ,不然 他 的 病 �不 可能 好。Unless miracle happens, his disease can't be cured.
  • 除非 你 听 我 的 ,否则 我 不 会 帮 你 。Unless you listen to me, I won't help you.
  • 除非 你 有 证据 ,不然 谁 相信 。Unless you have proof, nobody will believe it.
  • 除非 你 是 名牌 大学 毕业 的 ,否则 老板 不会 考虑 你 的 。The boss won't consider you unless you graduate from a brand-name university university.

Used with 才

除非 is also used in the patterns below. The meaning expressed is the same as the sentences above, but below the "Y" part expresses what won't happen unless the 除非 condition is met. It might be more helpful to think of 除非 here as meaning "only if."

Structure

除非 x,才 y

So that's "Only if x, y."

Examples

  • 除非 你 答应 我 不会 生气 ,我 说 。Only if you promise me that you won't be upset, I will tell you.
  • 除非 旧 的 坏了 ,我 会 买 新的 。Only if the old one is broken, I will buy a new one.
  • 除非 有 很好 的 工作 机会 ,我 回 老家 。Only if there is a very good job opportunity, I will go back to my hometown.
  • 除非 老板 给 我 加薪 ,我 会 留下来 。Only if the boss gives me a pay raise, I will stay.
  • 除非 我 犯 了 很 大 的 错 ,我 妈 会 批评 我 。Only if I make a very big mistake, my mother will criticize me.

See also

Sources and Further Reading