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

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*你 <em>要是</em> 真 想 我 ,<em>就</em> 给 我 打 电话 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yàoshi</em> zhēn xiǎng wǒ, <em>jiù</em> gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.</span><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 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yàoshi</em> zhēn xiǎng wǒ, <em>jiù</em> gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">If you do miss me, then give me a call.</span>
 
*<em>要是</em> 我妈 知道 这 件 事 ,我 <em>就</em> 死 定了 ! <span class="pinyin"><em>Yàoshi</em> wǒ mā zhīdào zhè jiàn shì, wǒ <em>jiù</em> sǐ dìngle!</span><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="pinyin"><em>Yàoshi</em> wǒ mā zhīdào zhè jiàn shì, wǒ <em>jiù</em> sǐ dìngle!</span><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="pinyin"><em>Yàoshi</em> lǎobǎn bù tóngyì, wǒmen <em>jiù</em> bùnéng gēn kèhù qiān hétóng.</span><span class="trans">If the boss doesn't agree,  we can't sign the contract with the client.</span>
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*<em>要是</em> 老板 不 同意,我们 <em>就</em> 不 能 跟 客户 签 合同 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàoshi</em> lǎobǎn bù tóngyì, wǒmen <em>jiù</em> bù néng gēn kèhù qiān hétóng.</span><span class="trans">If the boss doesn't agree,  we can't sign the contract with the client.</span>
 
*你 <em>要</em> 再 说 ,我 真 生气 了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yào</em> zàishuō, wǒ zhēn shēngqì le.</span><span class="trans">If you keep talking this way, I'll get mad. Seriously.</span>
 
*你 <em>要</em> 再 说 ,我 真 生气 了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yào</em> zàishuō, wǒ zhēn shēngqì le.</span><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="pinyin">Tā <em>yào</em> bù tīng, wǒ yě méi bànfǎ.</span><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="pinyin">Tā <em>yào</em> bù tīng, wǒ yě méi bànfǎ.</span><span class="trans">If he doesn't listen, there's nothing I can do about it.</span>
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*<em>要我说</em> ,他 就是 太 懒 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, tā jiùshì tài lǎn.</span><span class="trans">I say he's just too lazy.</span>
 
*<em>要我说</em> ,他 就是 太 懒 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, tā jiùshì tài lǎn.</span><span class="trans">I say he's just too lazy.</span>
 
*<em>要我说</em> ,我们 应该 早点 做 准备 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, wǒmen yīnggāi zǎodiǎn zuò zhǔnbèi.</span><span class="trans">In my opinion, we should get prepared sooner.</span>
 
*<em>要我说</em> ,我们 应该 早点 做 准备 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, wǒmen yīnggāi zǎodiǎn zuò zhǔnbèi.</span><span class="trans">In my opinion, we should get prepared sooner.</span>
*<em>要我说</em> ,这个人 不能 信 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, zhège rén bùnéng xìn.</span><span class="trans">In my opinion, this man isn't trustworthy.</span>
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*<em>要我说</em> ,这个人 不能 信 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, zhège rén bù néng xìn.</span><span class="trans">In my opinion, this man isn't trustworthy.</span>
 
*<em>要我说</em> ,什么 时候 开始 都 不 晚 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, shénme shíhòu kāishǐ dōu bù wǎn.</span><span class="trans">I say it's never too late to start.</span>
 
*<em>要我说</em> ,什么 时候 开始 都 不 晚 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yào wǒ shuō</em>, shénme shíhòu kāishǐ dōu bù wǎn.</span><span class="trans">I say it's never too late to start.</span>
  

Revision as of 10:19, 10 November 2020

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.

Affirmative Form

Structure

要是 + Subj. ⋯⋯ , 就 ⋯⋯

Note that the subject can also be placed before 要是. In this case, 要是 can be shortened as 要.

Examples

  • 要是 真 想 我 , 给 我 打 电话 。yàoshi zhēn xiǎng wǒ, jiù gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.If you do miss me, then give me a call.
  • 要是 我妈 知道 这 件 事 ,我 死 定了 ! Yàoshi wǒ mā zhīdào zhè jiàn shì, wǒ jiù sǐ dìngle!If my mother knew about this, I would be so dead!
  • 要是 老板 不 同意,我们 不 能 跟 客户 签 合同 。Yàoshi lǎobǎn bù tóngyì, wǒmen jiù bù néng gēn kèhù qiān hétóng.If the boss doesn't agree, we can't sign the contract with the client.
  • 再 说 ,我 真 生气 了 。yào zàishuō, wǒ zhēn shēngqì le.If you keep talking this way, I'll get mad. Seriously.
  • 不 听 ,我 也 没 办法 。yào bù tīng, wǒ yě méi bànfǎ.If he doesn't listen, there's nothing I can do about it.

Negative Form

要不是 is pretty much the same as the English saying "if it weren't for."

Structure

要不是 ⋯⋯ ,⋯⋯

Examples

  • 要 不 是 他 求 我 , 我 才 不 帮 你 呢 。Yào bùshì tā qiú wǒ, wǒ cái bù bāng nǐ ne.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 。Yào bùshì yīnwèi háizi, wǒ zǎo jiù líhūn le.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 。Yào bùshì dǔchē, wǒ zǎo jiù dào le.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 。em>Yào bùshì qīnyǎn kàn dào, wǒ yě bù xiāngxìn.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 。Yào bùshì nǐ tíxǐng wǒ, wǒ kěndìng wàng le.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 。Yào wǒ shuō, nǐ xiān bié gàosù tā.I say don't tell her yet.
  • 要我说 ,他 就是 太 懒 。Yào wǒ shuō, tā jiùshì tài lǎn.I say he's just too lazy.
  • 要我说 ,我们 应该 早点 做 准备 。Yào wǒ shuō, wǒmen yīnggāi zǎodiǎn zuò zhǔnbèi.In my opinion, we should get prepared sooner.
  • 要我说 ,这个人 不能 信 。Yào wǒ shuō, zhège rén bù néng xìn.In my opinion, this man isn't trustworthy.
  • 要我说 ,什么 时候 开始 都 不 晚 。Yào wǒ shuō, shénme shíhòu kāishǐ dōu bù wǎn.I say it's never too late to start.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books