<p>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).</p> <h2 id="standard-expression-with-如果就">Standard expression with 如果⋯⋯就</h2> <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3> <p>"如果⋯⋯，就⋯⋯" is an often-used pattern that is utilized in the same way that "<em>If…, then…</em>" is in English.</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>如果 + Statement + 就 + Result</p> </div> <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><em>如果</em> 不 好好 复习，你<em>就</em> 无法 通过 明天 的 考试。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> bù hǎohǎo fùxí, nǐ <em>jiù</em> wúfǎ tōngguò míngtiān de kǎoshì.</span><span class="trans">If you don't review well, you won't be able to pass tomorrow's test.</span></li> <li>他 <em>如果</em> 不 迷恋 网络 游戏，<em>就</em>能考上好的大学 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>rúguǒ</em> bù míliàn wǎngluò yóuxì, <em>jiù</em> néng kǎo shàng hǎo de dàxué.</span><span class="trans">If he hadn't been so addicted to the video games, he would have been admitted to a better university.</span></li> <li>我 <em>如果</em> 在 北京 找不到 工作，<em>就</em> 会 回 昆明。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>rúguǒ</em> zài Běijīng zhǎo bù dào gōngzuò, <em>jiù</em> huì huí Kūnmíng.</span><span class="trans">If I can't find a job in Beijing, I'm going to go back to Kunming.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="colloquial-expression-with-如果的话">Colloquial expression with 如果⋯⋯的话</h2> <p>Although 如果 can be used to mean "if" all by itself, it's often used together with the phrase 的话 to create <a href="the_"if"_sandwich_pattern" title="wikilink">the "if" sandwich pattern</a>. "就" is optional.</p> <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>如果 + Statement + 的话，(就) Result</p> </div> <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><em>如果</em> 你 去 <em>的话</em>，帮 我 跟 她 问 好。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> nǐ qù <em>de huà</em>, bāng wǒ gēn tā wènhǎo.</span><span class="trans">If you go, tell her I say hello.</span></li> <li><em>如果</em> 下次 有 时间 <em>的话</em>，一定 要 找 我 玩儿。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> xià cì yǒu shíjiān <em>de huà</em>, yīdìng yào zhǎo wǒ wán er.</span><span class="trans">When you have time, you need to find me so we can hang out.</span></li> <li><em>如果</em> 你 不 忙 <em>的话</em>，可以 帮 我 联系 客户 吗？<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> nǐ bù máng <em>de huà</em>, kěyǐ bāng wǒ liánxì kèhù ma?</span><span class="trans">If you're not busy, can you help me connect with customers?</span></li> <li><em>如果</em> 不 方便 <em>的话</em>，我 就 不 去 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> bù fāngbiàn <em>de huà</em>, wǒ jiù bù qù le.</span></li> </ul> </div> <p>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.</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Statement + 的话，(就) Result</p> </div> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>你 去 <em>的话</em>，帮 我 跟 她 问 好。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ qù <em>de huà</em>, bāng wǒ gēn tā wènhǎo.</span><span class="trans">If you go, tell her I say hello.</span></li> <li>下次 有 时间 <em>的话</em>，一定 要 找 我 玩儿。 <span class="pinyin">Xià cì yǒu shíjiān <em>de huà</em>, yīdìng yào zhǎo wǒ wán er.</span><span class="trans">When you have time, you need to find me so we can hang out.</span></li> <li>你 不 忙 <em>的话</em>，可以 帮 我 联系 客户 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù máng <em>de huà</em>, kěyǐ bāng wǒ liánxì kèhù ma?</span><span class="trans">If you're not busy, can you help me connect with customers?</span></li> <li>没 地方 住 <em>的话</em>，就 来 我 这里 吧。<span class="pinyin">Méi dìfang zhù <em>de huà</em>, jiù lái wǒ zhèlǐ ba.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="如果那么">如果⋯⋯那么</h2> <p>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。</p> <h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>如果 + Statement， 那么(就) + Result</p> </div> <h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><em>如果</em> 你 不 去，<em>那么</em> 我 也 不 去。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> nǐ bù qù, <em>nàme</em> wǒ yě bù qù.</span></li> <li><em>如果</em> 他 知道 了，<em>那么</em> 他 一 定 会 来 告诉 我。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> tā zhīdào le, <em>nàme</em> tā yīdìng huì lái gàosu wǒ.</span></li> <li><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。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> xiànzài wǒmen bù hézuò, <em>nàme</em> wǒmen yǐhòu jiù méiyǒu jīhuì hézuò le.</span></li> <li><em>如果</em> 你 不 相信 我，<em>那么</em> 我 就 什么 都 不 说 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Rúguǒ</em> nǐ bù xiāngxìn wǒ, <em>nàme</em> wǒ jiù shénme dōu bù shuō le.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="Marking_a_topic_with_"de_hua"" title="wikilink">Marking a topic with "de hua"</a></li> <li><a href=""If…_then…"_with_"yaoshi"" title="wikilink">"If… then…" with "yaoshi"</a></li> <li><a href=""If…_then…"_with_"jiaru"" title="wikilink">"If… then…" with "jiaru"</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="Common_Chinese_Patterns_330_(汉语常用格式330例)" title="wikilink">Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)</a> (pp. 184) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7802006473/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7802006473">→buy</a></li> <li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_2_(新实用汉语课本2)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)</a> (pp. 240) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297">→buy</a></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><a href="Category:_B1_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category: B1 grammar points</a></p>