8 Ways to Say “if” in Chinese

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8 Ways to Say “If” in Chinese — 近義詞辨析
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8 Ways to Say “If” in Chinese

English mainly uses one word, “if” — Mandarin has at least eight, each with its own shade of formality and nuance.

The terms 假如jiǎrú, 万一wànyī, 要是yàoshì, 如果rúguǒ, 的话dehuà, 假设jiǎshè, 倘若tǎngruò, and 若是ruòshì are all used to express conditional statements in Chinese, but they have subtle differences in usage and connotation.

一

如果 rúguǒ

HSK 3 · Neutral & Common
  • Most common and neutral
  • Used in both formal and informal situations
如果rúguǒ + Clause，(就) + Result
如果rúguǒ明天míngtiān下雨xiàyǔ，我wǒ就jiù不bú去qù了le。
If it rains tomorrow, I won’t go.
如果rúguǒ你的nǐde母语mǔyǔ是shì英文yīngwén，就jiù可以kěyǐ在zài台湾Táiwān当dāng英文yīngwén老师lǎoshī。
If English is your native language, you can be an English teacher in Taiwan.
二

要是 yàoshì

HSK 4 · Colloquial
  • More colloquial than 如果 rúguǒ
  • Often used in spoken Chinese
  • Slightly emphasizes the condition
要是yàoshì + Clause，(就) + Result
要是yàoshì你nǐ不bù喜欢xǐhuan，可以kěyǐ换huàn别的bié de。
If you don’t like it, we can change to something else.
要是yàoshì你nǐ不bú去qù，我wǒ就jiù不bú去qù。
If you don’t go, I won’t go.
三

的话 dehuà

HSK 3 · Casual, Sentence-Final
  • Casual, conversational
  • Often used at the end of a condition
  • Can combine with other conditionals
Clause + 的话dehuà，(就) + Result
你nǐ要yào去qù的话dehuà，请qǐng提前tíqián告诉gàosu我wǒ。
If you’re going, please let me know in advance.
人生rénshēng可以kěyǐ重来zhònglái的话dehuà，我wǒ就jiù会huì买mǎi乐透lètòu然后ránhòu买mǎi房子fángzi。
If life could be restarted, I would buy a lottery ticket and then buy a house.
四

假如 jiǎrú

HSK 5 · Formal, Hypothetical
  • More formal than 如果 rúguǒ
  • Implies hypothetical situations
  • Often used in written Chinese
假如jiǎrú + Clause，(就) + Result
假如jiǎrú我wǒ是shì富翁fùwēng，我wǒ就jiù会huì环游huányóu世界shìjiè。
If I were rich, I would travel around the world.
假如jiǎrú我wǒ是shì你nǐ，我wǒ就jiù会huì直接zhíjiē告诉gàosu他tā。
If I were you, I’d just tell him directly.
五

万一 wànyī

HSK 5 · Precautionary
  • Means “in case” or “just in case”
  • Implies unexpected or unwanted situations
  • Often used for precautionary scenarios
万一wànyī + Clause，請/就 + Result
万一wànyī发生fāshēng意外yìwài，请qǐng立刻lìkè打dǎ电话diànhuà给gěi我wǒ。
In case of emergency, call me immediately.
万一wànyī我wǒ死sǐ了le，请qǐng你nǐ帮bāng我wǒ照顾zhàogù我的wǒde狗gǒu。
If I die, please help me take care of my dog.
六

若是 ruòshì

Not on HSK · Literary
  • Literary / classical style
  • Similar to 倘若 tǎngruò
  • Formal written Chinese
若是ruòshì + Clause，(就) + Result
若是ruòshì天气tiānqì晴朗qínglǎng，我们wǒmen即jí可kě登山dēngshān。
Should the weather be clear, we can climb the mountain.
若是ruòshì你nǐ还有háiyǒu什么shénme遗言yíyán，就jiù快kuài说shuō吧ba！
If you have any last words, say them now!
七

假设 jiǎshè

Not on HSK · Academic
  • Most formal / academic
  • Used for theoretical suppositions
  • Common in academic writing
假设jiǎshè + Clause，那麼/那么 + Result
假设jiǎshè地球dìqiú是shì平的píng de，那么nàme…
Supposing the Earth were flat, then…
假设jiǎshè太阳tàiyáng往wǎng西xī斜xié10shí度dù，那么nàme对duì地球dìqiú会huì有yǒu什么shénme影响yǐngxiǎng？
If the sun tilted 10 degrees westward, what would be the impact on Earth?
八

倘若 tǎngruò

HSK 7-9 · Very Formal
  • Literary / classical style
  • Rarely used in modern spoken Chinese
  • Very formal
倘若tǎngruò + Clause，(就) + Result
倘若tǎngruò情况qíngkuàng允许yǔnxǔ，我们wǒmen可以kěyǐ考虑kǎolǜ。
Should circumstances permit, we can consider it.
倘若tǎngruò我wǒ明日míngrì能néng活着huó zhe回来huílái，我们wǒmen就jiù成亲chéngqīn。
If I can come back alive tomorrow, we’ll get married.
09  ·  Register Guide

Usage Tips

Everyday Speech
如果rúguǒ、要是yàoshì、的话dehuà
Formal Situations
假如jiǎrú、假设jiǎshè
Emergency / Unexpected
万一wànyī
Writing & Literature
倘若tǎngruò、若是ruòshì
10  ·  Stacking Conditionals

Combinations Are Possible

如果rúguǒ + 的话dehuà
要是yàoshì + 的话dehuà
假如jiǎrú + 的话dehuà
万一wànyī + 的话dehuà
11  ·  At a Glance

Quick Comparison

Ordered from most casual to most formal.

WordHSK LevelRegisterCore Nuance
的话dehuà HSK 3 Casual Attaches to the end of the condition
要是yàoshì HSK 4 Colloquial Spoken, slightly emphatic
如果rúguǒ HSK 3 Neutral The default, all-purpose choice
假如jiǎrú HSK 5 Formal Hypothetical, often written
万一wànyī HSK 5 Precautionary “In case,” unexpected/unwanted
假设jiǎshè Not on HSK Academic Theoretical suppositions
倘若tǎngruò HSK 7-9 Very formal Literary, rare in speech
若是ruòshì Not on HSK Very formal Literary, formal writing
12  ·  Practice

Practice Quiz

PRACTICE QUIZ Question 1 of 10
If you don’t like it, just say so.
    你nǐ不bù喜欢xǐhuan，直接zhíjiē说shuō就jiù好hǎo了le。
In case of fire, please use the stairs, not the elevator.
    发生fāshēng火災huǒzāi，请qǐng走zǒu樓梯lóutī，不要búyào搭dā电梯diàntī。
Supposing time could be reversed, what would you change?
    時間shíjiān可以kěyǐ倒流dàoliú，你nǐ会huì改變gǎibiàn什麼shénme？
If you’re free tonight, let’s have dinner together.
你nǐ今晚jīnwǎn有yǒu空kòng    ，我們wǒmen一起yìqǐ吃飯chīfàn吧ba。
If it’s sunny tomorrow, we’ll go hiking.
    明天míngtiān是shì晴天qíngtiān，我們wǒmen就jiù去qù爬山páshān。
Should you have any objections, please state them now.
    你nǐ有yǒu任何rènhé異議yìyì，请qǐng現在xiànzài提出tíchū。
If I were the president, I would change this policy.
    我wǒ是shì總統zǒngtǒng，我wǒ就jiù会huì改變gǎibiàn這個zhège政策zhèngcè。
Should the plan fail, we will reconsider.
    計畫jìhuà失敗shībài，我們wǒmen將jiāng重新chóngxīn考慮kǎolǜ。
In case something happens, keep this phone number.
    发生fāshēng什麼shénme事shì，请qǐng保留bǎoliú這個zhège電話diànhuà號碼hàomǎ。
If you finish your homework, you can watch TV.
你nǐ寫完xiěwán作業zuòyè    ，就jiù可以kěyǐ看kàn電視diànshì了le。
Complete
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