要是 yàoshì means “if.” 就 jiù means “then.” Put them together and you get “if…then…”: first you say what has to happen, then you say what happens next. This page shows you how to build these sentences, plus a few other words you can use instead of 要是 yàoshì.
一 The Basic Pattern
要是 + Condition，(Subject) + 就 + Result
Start with 要是 yàoshì and the condition. Then add a comma and the result. 就 jiù goes after the subject of the second half, right before the verb.
要是我有很多錢钱，我就會会買买房子
If I have a lot of money, I’ll buy a house.
要是你不去，我就不去
If you don’t go, I won’t go either.
Both halves can be negative.
要是你累了，就早點点睡吧
If you’re tired, go to bed early.
When the second half is a suggestion to the same person, the subject is often dropped.
Why does Tiff want a house so badly?Ever wonder why so many adults in Taiwan still live with their parents? It’s actually because homes in Taipei are so cheap. A tiny one-bedroom apartment rents for about NT$17,000 (around US$550) a month, and buying an old two-bedroom place costs “only” around NT$22.58 million (about US$785,000). Meanwhile, the average monthly salary in Taiwan is around NT$30,000–50,000 (about US$980–1,750). So really, all you have to do is save every single dollar for about 60 years, and that dream house is yours!
二 Other Ways to Say “If”
要是 yàoshì isn’t the only word for “if.” You can swap in these words too, and they all pair with 就 jiù the same way.
如果 rúguǒ
The most common and neutral way to say “if.” It works in both speaking and writing.
如果你明天有空，我們我们就去看電影电影
If you’re free tomorrow, let’s go see a movie.
萬一万一wànyī
Use this for something you don’t really expect to happen, usually a bad thing you want to be ready for. It feels like “in case” or “what if” in English.
萬一万一我迷路了，你就打電話給我给我打电话
In case I get lost, just call me.
Taiwan usually says 打電話給我打电话给我, while mainland China usually says 給我打電話给我打电话.
萬一万一錯過错过公車公交车，我就走路回家
In case I miss the bus, I’ll just walk home.
的話的话dehuà
This one goes at the end of the condition, not the front. You can use it by itself, or add it on top of 要是 yàoshì or 如果 rúguǒ. It sounds a little more casual, like something you’d say when chatting.
咖啡太苦的話的话，就加點点糖
If the coffee’s too bitter, just add some sugar.
下雨的話的话，野餐就取消
If it rains, the picnic is cancelled.
就 jiù comes after the subject 野餐 yěcān, not before it.
如果你不喜歡喜欢的話的话，就不要買买
If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.
如果 rúguǒ at the front and 的話的话dehuà at the end, wrapping the condition together.
Both can come after a condition, but they feel different. 就 jiù says the condition is enough: once it’s true, the result follows easily. 才 cái says the condition is a must: only when it’s true (and not before) can the result happen. Think “then” vs. “only then.”
就 jiù
要是你寫完写完功課作业，就可以出去玩
If you finish your homework, you can go out and play. The condition is easy to meet, and the reward is right there.
才 cái
你要寫完写完功課作业，才可以出去玩
You can only go out and play once you’ve finished your homework. It’s a strict rule, and there’s no playing before then.
要是你星期天有時間时间，就一起一块儿來来爬山吧！
If you have time on Sunday, come hiking with us!
This is a friendly invitation, not a strict rule, so 就 jiù fits.
四 Common Mistakes
❌ 要是你有時間时间，就我們我们去看電影电影
✅ 要是你有時間时间，我們我们就去看電影电影
就 jiù is an adverb, so it goes after the subject and right before the verb. It can never come before the subject.
❌ 我就買买，要是很便宜便宜
✅ 要是很便宜便宜，我就買买
In English you can say “I’ll buy it if it’s cheap,” but in Chinese the condition comes first and the result comes second.
❌ 的話的话下雨，野餐就取消
✅ 下雨的話的话，野餐就取消
的話的话dehuà closes the condition, so it goes at the end of it. 要是 yàoshì and 如果 rúguǒ are the ones that go at the front.
五 Practice
Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!
Question 1 of 10
“If it’s cheap, I’ll buy it.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
要是很便宜便宜，我就買买
The 才 cái tile is a trap. It would mean “I’ll buy it only if it’s cheap,” which is stronger than the English. For a simple “if…then,” use 就 jiù.
“If you’re free tomorrow, let’s go see a movie.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
如果你明天有空，我們我们就去看電影电影
如果 rúguǒ can move around: 你明天如果有空、如果明天你有空、明天如果你有空 are all correct too.
如果 rúguǒ works just like 要是 yàoshì. Both go at the very front of the condition.
“If it rains, the picnic is cancelled.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
下雨的話的话，野餐就取消
Starting with 要是 yàoshì (要是下雨的話，野餐就取消要是下雨的话，野餐就取消) is also correct.
的話的话dehuà goes at the end of the condition, and 就 jiù comes after the subject 野餐 yěcān.
“In case I get lost, just call me.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
萬一万一我迷路了，你就打電話給我给我打电话
萬一万一wànyī fits best here. Getting lost isn’t something you expect; it’s just something you want to be ready for.
“If you don’t study, you won’t pass the test.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
要是不讀書读书，就不會会通過通过考試考试
Both the “if” part and the “then” part can be negative. In the second half, 不 bù comes after 就 jiù.
“If you’re too tired, then rest.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
你太累的話的话，就休息休息吧
的話的话dehuà comes right after the whole condition (你太累 nǐ tài lèi), not at the start of the sentence.
“If you finish your homework, then you can go out and play.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
要是你寫完写完功課作业，你就可以出去玩
你要是寫完功課你要是写完作业 also works, and since it’s the same person, you can leave out the second 你 nǐ.
才 cái was a trap. The English is a simple “if…then,” not a strict “only then,” so 就 jiù is the right choice.
“If you have money, then travel around the world.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
要是你有錢钱，就環遊环游世界
你要是有錢你要是有钱 is also correct. 要是 yàoshì can come before or after the subject.
When the person in the “if” part and the “then” part is the same, you often don’t repeat the subject in the second half.
“If you’re hungry, we’ll eat first.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
要是你餓饿了，我們我们就先吃飯吃饭
你要是餓了你要是饿了 is also correct. 要是 yàoshì can come before or after the subject.
The subject changes here (你 nǐ → 我們我们wǒmen), so you need to say it, and 就 jiù goes right after it.
“If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
如果你不喜歡喜欢的話的话，就不要買买
你如果不喜歡的話你如果不喜欢的话 is also correct, and you can use just 如果 rúguǒ or just 的話的话dehuà on its own.
如果 rúguǒ and 的話的话dehuà can wrap the condition together: one at the front, one at the end.
