Unlike English, where “otherwise” can quietly disappear from an “unless” sentence, Chinese never drops it — 除非 chúfēi almost always shows up paired with 否則否则 fǒuzé, 不然不然 bùrán, or 要不然要不然 yàobùrán. The three pairing words share the same job but sit at different levels of formality.
1 Structure
Result，除非 chúfēi + Condition
除非 chúfēi can trail after the result clause, tacked on as an afterthought exception — this is the most casual, spoken-style order and it’s the one people reach for first.
我不做了，除非你幫我加薪。我不做了，除非你帮我加薪。
I won’t do it unless you give me a raise.
我不要吃這個，除非你把紅蘿蔔拿掉。我不要吃这个，除非你把红萝卜拿掉。
I don’t want to eat this unless you take the carrots off.
那家蛋糕店很熱門，你一定買不到，除非你早上七點就去排隊。那家蛋糕店很热门，你一定买不到，除非你早上七点就去排队。
That cake shop is so popular you won’t be able to buy any, unless you go line up at 7am.
對不起，你不能參加這個活動，除非你有邀請函。对不起，你不能参加这个活动，除非你有邀请函。
Sorry, you can’t attend this event unless you have an invitation.
除非 chúfēi + Condition，(要)不然 (yào)bùrán + Result
不然 bùrán and 要不然 yàobùrán both mean “otherwise,” and swapping between them barely changes the meaning — 要不然 yàobùrán just leans a little more casual and spoken. Either way, the connector has to be there; Chinese doesn’t let it drop the way English sometimes does.
除非你給我錢，要不然我不可能幫你。除非你给我钱，要不然我不可能帮你。
Unless you give me money, I can’t possibly help you.
除非我死，不然的話我不會同意。除非我死，不然的话我不会同意。
Unless I die, I won’t agree.
除非他承認都是他的錯，不然我絕對不會再吃回頭草。除非他承认都是他的错，不然我绝对不会再吃回头草。
Unless he admits it was all his fault, I will never go back to him again.
FYI
吃回頭草 chī huítóucǎo literally means “eating grass you already chewed” — it’s Chinese slang for going back to an old flame, job, or habit you’d sworn off. If a friend gets back with an ex, you might tease them with 你吃回頭草啊 nǐ chī huítóucǎo a!
除非那是山寨品，要不然怎麼可能這麼便宜？除非那是山寨品，要不然怎么可能这么便宜？
Unless it’s a knockoff, how could it possibly be this cheap?
除非 chúfēi + Condition，否則 fǒuzé + Result
否則 fǒuzé also means “otherwise,” but it’s the most formal of the three — the one you’ll meet in writing, announcements, and anything with a stricter tone.
除非你答應教我，否則我絕不離開。除非你答应教我，否则我绝不离开。
I will never leave unless you promise to teach me.
除非你有會員卡，否則是進不了這家餐廳的。除非你有会员卡，否则是进不了这家餐厅的。
Unless you have a membership card, you won’t be able to get into this restaurant.
我才學了三個月的中文，除非你慢慢講，否則我聽不懂。我才学了三个月的中文，除非你慢慢讲，否则我听不懂。
I’ve only been learning Chinese for three months — unless you speak slowly, I won’t understand.
除非你超有錢，否則一般人根本買不起那個包。除非你超有钱，否则一般人根本买不起那个包。
Unless you’re super rich, the average person just can’t afford that bag.
2 Common Mistakes
Most errors come from treating 除非 chúfēi like English “unless,” which is happy to stand alone.
❌
除非你給我錢，我不可能幫你。除非你给我钱，我不可能帮你。
✅
除非你給我錢，要不然我不可能幫你。除非你给我钱，要不然我不可能帮你。
English lets “otherwise” drop out of an “unless” sentence, but Chinese never does — 除非 chúfēi’s condition clause almost always needs 否則 fǒuzé, 不然 bùrán, or 要不然 yàobùrán to introduce the result.
❌
除非你不給我錢，否則我不會幫你。除非你不给我钱，否则我不会帮你。
✅
除非你給我錢，否則我不會幫你。除非你给我钱，否则我不会帮你。
除非 chúfēi already carries the “only this exception counts” meaning, so adding an extra 不 bù inside the condition clause double-negates it and flips the sense. Keep the condition clause positive — the exception itself does the negating.
3 不然不然 vs 要不然要不然 vs 否則否则
All three mean “otherwise” and pair with 除非除非 chúfēi the same way — the difference is register.
|
不然不然 bùrán |
要不然要不然 yàobùrán |
否則否则 fǒuzé |
| Register |
Neutral, everyday speech |
Most casual, very spoken |
Formal, written |
| Where you’ll see it |
Chatting, texting |
Chatting, complaining, teasing |
Notices, rules, essays |
| Example |
除非我死，不然的話我不會同意。除非我死，不然的话我不会同意。 |
除非你給我錢，要不然我不可能幫你。除非你给我钱，要不然我不可能帮你。 |
除非你有會員卡，否則是進不了這家餐廳的。除非你有会员卡，否则是进不了这家餐厅的。 |
4 Practice
Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.
01I won’t go unless you go with me.
我不會去，除非你跟我一起去。我不会去，除非你跟我一起去。
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02Unless you apologize to her, otherwise she won’t speak to you.
除非你跟她道歉，否則她不會跟你說話。除非你跟她道歉，否则她不会跟你说话。
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03Unless it’s an emergency, don’t call me after 10pm.
除非是緊急情況，不然晚上十點以後不要打給我。除非是紧急情况，不然晚上十点以后不要打给我。
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04Unless the boss signs off, we can’t start the project.
除非老闆簽字同意，否則我們不能開始這個專案。除非老板签字同意，否则我们不能开始这个项目。
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05I’m not eating this unless you add more sugar.
我不吃這個，除非你多加一點糖。我不吃这个，除非你多加一点糖。
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06Unless you can prove it, otherwise no one will believe you.
除非你能證明，否則沒有人會相信你。除非你能证明，否则没有人会相信你。
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07Unless there’s heavy traffic, we’ll be there by 6.
除非塞車，不然我們六點前會到。除非堵车，不然我们六点前会到。
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08You can’t graduate unless you pass this exam.
除非你通過這個考試，否則你不能畢業。除非你通过这个考试，否则你不能毕业。
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09Unless the weather clears up, the flight will be delayed.
除非天氣轉好，不然班機會延誤。除非天气转好，不然航班会延误。
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10Unless you have a reservation, otherwise this restaurant won’t seat you.
除非你有訂位，否則這家餐廳不會讓你入座。除非你有订位，否则这家餐厅不会让你入座。
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