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<p>"<span class="hanzi">如果⋯⋯的话，⋯⋯</span>" (<span class="pinyin">rúguǒ... de huà, ...</span>) is a pattern commonly used in Chinese to express "<b>if</b>." An easy way to remember the pattern's format is that in the full form, the condition is "<b>sandwiched" between</b> <span class="hanzi">如果 </span><b>and</b> <span class="hanzi">的话</span>.</p>
<h2>Contents</h2>
<ol>
<li>Structure<br/></li>
<li>Examples<br/></li>
<li>See also<br/></li>
<li>Sources and further reading<br/></li>
<ol>
<li>Books<br/></li>
</ol>
</ol>
<p>An important thing to note is that <span class="hanzi">如果</span> can be switched out for the various other terms for "<b>if</b>," including <a href=""If%E2%80%A6_Then%E2%80%A6"_with_"yaoshi"" title="wikilink">the common 要是</a> (<span class="pinyin">yàoshi</span>) and <a href=""If%E2%80%A6_Then%E2%80%A6"_with_"jiaru"" title="wikilink">the formal 假如</a> (<span class="pinyin">jiǎrú</span>), among others. Also, keep in mind that the <span class="hanzi">的话</span> at the end is optional, and even the leading "<b>if</b>" word is optional! Even when there are no explicit "<b>if</b>" words in a sentence, though, the "<b>if</b>" can be inferred from context. But be glad if you get either a <span class="hanzi">如果</span> or a <span class="hanzi">的话</span>; it makes understanding the sentence that much easier!</p>
<h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>
<div class="exemple">
<ul>
<li><span><span class="hanzi">如果 你 有 空 的话，我们 可以 明天 晚上 看 电影。</span> If you have time, we can go see a movie tomorrow night.</span></li>
<li><span><span class="hanzi">如果 没有 你的帮助 的话，他 是 不会 得到 这份 工作 的。</span> If you didn't help him, he wouldn't get the job offer.</span></li>
<li><span><span class="hanzi">如果 你 不 来 的话，老师 会 很 失望。</span> If you don't come, the teacher will be disappointed.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href=""If%E2%80%A6,_then%E2%80%A6"_with_"ruguo%E2%80%A6,_jiu%E2%80%A6"" title="wikilink">"If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"</a></li>
<li><a href="Marking_a_Topic_with_"de_hua"" title="wikilink">Marking a Topic with "de hua"</a></li>
<li><a href=""If%E2%80%A6_Then%E2%80%A6"_with_"yaoshi"" title="wikilink">"If… Then…" with "yaoshi"</a></li>
<li><a href=""Only_if"_with_"zhiyou"" title="wikilink">"Only if" with "zhiyou"</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide" title="wikilink">Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide</a> (pp. 280) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108"> →buy</a></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="websties">Websties</h3>
<ul>
<li>Chinesegrammar.info: <a href="http://chinesegrammar.info/vocabulary/de-hua-expressing-if/">Chinese grammar de hua (<span class="hanzi">的话</span>): expressing “if” in Chinese with de hua</a></li>
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