Difference between revisions of "Marking a topic with "de hua""

 
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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
的话 (de huà) is a particle that can be put at the end of a phrase to express a condition, a little bit like "if". It can be used independently, or with 如果, both meaning "if".
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You probably already know that 的话 (dehuà) can be put at the end of a phrase [[Expressing "if" with "ruguo... dehua"|to express the meaning of "if."]] It can be used independently, or with 如果, both meaning "if."  But it can also be used to simply identify a topic, sort of like saying "when it comes to...."
  
==Introducing a condition==
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== Structure ==
  
===Structure===
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的话 can also be used to introduce a topic which the speaker intends to say more about.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
(如果) + [situation] + 的话 + [outcome]
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Topic + 的话 ,Comment
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
===Examples===
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== Examples ==
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Sometimes it's a fine line between an "if" statement and an "as for..." statement, as you'll see in some of the sentences below.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 如果 你 <em>的话</em>,帮 我 跟 她 问 好。
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* 下次 有 时间  <em>的话</em>,一定 要 玩儿。
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*北京 <em>的话</em>,秋天 最好 。<span class="pinyin">Běijīng <em>dehuà</em>, qiūtiān qù zuì hǎo.</span><span class="trans">As for Beijing, autumn is the best time to go.</span>
* 如果 不 忙  <em>的话</em>,可以 帮 我 联系 客户 吗?
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*晚上 <em>的话</em>,当然 方便 啦 。<span class="pinyin">Wǎnshang <em>dehuà</em>, dāngrán fāngbiàn la.</span><span class="trans">The evening? Of course that's convenient.</span>
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*这个 问题 <em>的话</em>,我 不 太 方便 说 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge wèntí <em>dehuà</em>, wǒ bù tài fāngbiàn shuō.</span><span class="trans">As for this question, it's not convenient for me to talk about it.</span>
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*葡萄 <em>的话</em>,一定 要 吃 最 新鲜 的。<span class="pinyin">Pútao <em>dehuà</em>, yīdìng yào chī zuì xīnxiān de.</span><span class="trans">For grapes, always eat the freshest ones.</span>
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*肯定 能 去 。 他 <em>的话</em> ,我 就 不知道 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ kěndìng néng qù. Tā <em>dehuà</em>, wǒ jiù bù zhīdào le.</span><span class="trans">I can definitely go. As for him, I don't know.</span>
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*回 老家 <em>的话</em>,还是 坐 高铁 比较 方便。<span class="pinyin">Huí lǎojiā <em>dehuà</em>, háishì zuò gāotiě bǐjiào fāngbiàn.</span><span class="trans">If you want to go back to your hometown, it's more convenient to take the high-speed train.</span>
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*买 相机 <em>的话</em>,我 觉得 Sony相机 不错。<span class="pinyin">Mǎi xiāngjī <em>dehuà</em>, wǒ juéde Sony xiāngjī bùcuò.</span><span class="trans">If you want to buy a camera, I think Sony cameras are good.</span>
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*我们 的 要求 比较 高 。具体 来说 <em>的话</em> ,有 三 个 方面 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen de yāoqiú bǐjiào gāo. Jùtǐ lái shuō <em>dehuà</em>, yǒu sān gè fāngmiàn.</span><span class="trans">Our requirement is quite high. Specifically, there are three aspects.</span>
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*你 去 上海 旅游 <em>的话</em>,一定 要 去 外滩。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ qù Shànghǎi lǚyóu <em>dehuà</em>, yīdìng yào qù Wàitān.</span><span class="trans">If you're going to Shanghai, you must go to the Bund.</span>
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*买 衣服 <em>的话</em>,还是 要 去 实体店 试试 的。<span class="pinyin">Mǎi yīfu <em>dehuà</em>, háishì yào qù shítǐdiàn shìshi de.</span><span class="trans">If you want to buy clothes, you should go to a real store.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==Introducing a topic==
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== See also ==
  
===Structure===
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*[["If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"]]
 
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*[[Marking a topic with "ma"]]
的话 can also be used to introduce a topic which the speaker wants to go on and comment on.
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*[[Topic-comment sentences]]
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
[topic] + 的话
 
</div>
 
  
===Examples===
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== Sources and further reading ==
  
<div class="liju">
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=== Websties ===
* 云南 <em>的话</em>,春天 去 最好。
 
* 晚上<em>的话</em>,当然 方便 啦。
 
* 我 肯定 能 去,他<em>的话</em>,我 就 不知道 了。
 
* 你们 放心 去 吧,这里<em>的话</em>,就 交给 我 了。
 
</div>
 
  
==See also==
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* Chinesegrammar.info: [http://chinesegrammar.info/vocabulary/de-hua-expressing-if/ Chinese grammar de hua (的话): expressing “if” in Chinese with de hua]
*[["If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"]]
 
*[["For…" with "eryan"]]
 
*[[Limiting Scope with "jiu"]]
 
  
 
[[Category: B2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category: B2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|的话|B2|……的话|荤菜 <em>的话</em> , 我 喜欢 牛肉 。|grammar point|ASGB0MXK}}
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{{Basic Grammar|的话|B2|Topic + 的话 ,Comment|北京 <em>的话</em> ,秋天 去 最好 。|grammar point|ASGB0MXK}}
 
{{Similar|"If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"}}
 
{{Similar|"If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"}}
{{Similar|"For…" with "eryan"}}
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{{Similar|Topic-comment sentences}}
{{Similar|Limiting Scope with "jiu"}}
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{{Similar|Marking a topic with "ma"}}
 
{{Similar|The "if" sandwich pattern}}
 
{{Similar|The "if" sandwich pattern}}
{{Used for|Expressing possibility}}
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{{Used for|Marking a topic}}
 
{{Structure|"If" Statements}}
 
{{Structure|"If" Statements}}

Latest revision as of 03:48, 29 December 2020

You probably already know that 的话 (dehuà) can be put at the end of a phrase to express the meaning of "if." It can be used independently, or with 如果, both meaning "if." But it can also be used to simply identify a topic, sort of like saying "when it comes to...."

Structure

的话 can also be used to introduce a topic which the speaker intends to say more about.

Topic + 的话 ,Comment

Examples

Sometimes it's a fine line between an "if" statement and an "as for..." statement, as you'll see in some of the sentences below.

  • 北京 的话,秋天 去 最好 。Běijīng dehuà, qiūtiān qù zuì hǎo.As for Beijing, autumn is the best time to go.
  • 晚上 的话,当然 方便 啦 。Wǎnshang dehuà, dāngrán fāngbiàn la.The evening? Of course that's convenient.
  • 这个 问题 的话,我 不 太 方便 说 。Zhè ge wèntí dehuà, wǒ bù tài fāngbiàn shuō.As for this question, it's not convenient for me to talk about it.
  • 葡萄 的话,一定 要 吃 最 新鲜 的。Pútao dehuà, yīdìng yào chī zuì xīnxiān de.For grapes, always eat the freshest ones.
  • 我 肯定 能 去 。 他 的话 ,我 就 不知道 了。Wǒ kěndìng néng qù. Tā dehuà, wǒ jiù bù zhīdào le.I can definitely go. As for him, I don't know.
  • 回 老家 的话,还是 坐 高铁 比较 方便。Huí lǎojiā dehuà, háishì zuò gāotiě bǐjiào fāngbiàn.If you want to go back to your hometown, it's more convenient to take the high-speed train.
  • 买 相机 的话,我 觉得 Sony相机 不错。Mǎi xiāngjī dehuà, wǒ juéde Sony xiāngjī bùcuò.If you want to buy a camera, I think Sony cameras are good.
  • 我们 的 要求 比较 高 。具体 来说 的话 ,有 三 个 方面 。Wǒmen de yāoqiú bǐjiào gāo. Jùtǐ lái shuō dehuà, yǒu sān gè fāngmiàn.Our requirement is quite high. Specifically, there are three aspects.
  • 你 去 上海 旅游 的话,一定 要 去 外滩。Nǐ qù Shànghǎi lǚyóu dehuà, yīdìng yào qù Wàitān.If you're going to Shanghai, you must go to the Bund.
  • 买 衣服 的话,还是 要 去 实体店 试试 的。Mǎi yīfu dehuà, háishì yào qù shítǐdiàn shìshi de.If you want to buy clothes, you should go to a real store.

See also

Sources and further reading

Websties

HSK5