"If" in Chinese

8 Ways to Say “if” in Chinese

Posted on by tiffany

Introduction:
Ever noticed how English mainly uses “if,” while Chinese has multiple ways to express the same idea? The terms 假如 jiǎrú, 万一 wànyī, 要是 yàoshi, 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.

如果 rúguǒ (HSK 2)

  • Most common and neutral
  • Used in both formal/informal situations

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.

要是 yàoshi (HSK 2)

  • More colloquial than 如果 rúguǒ
  • Often used in spoken Chinese
  • Slightly emphasizes the condition

要是yàoshì你nǐ不bù喜欢xǐhuan， 可以kěyǐ换huàn别bié的de
If you don’t like it, we can change to something else

要是yàoshi你nǐ不bú去qù， 我wǒ就jiù不bú去qù
If you don’t go, I won’t go.

…的话 dehuà (HSK 3)

  • Casual, conversational
  • Often used at the end of a condition
  • Can combine with other conditionals

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.

假如 jiǎrú (HSK 4)

  • More formal than 如果 rúguǒ
  • Implies hypothetical situations
  • Often used in written Chinese

假如jiǎrú我wǒ是shì富翁fùwēng， 我wǒ就jiù会huì环游háiyóu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.

万一 wànyī (HSK 4)

  • Means “in case” or “just in case”
  • Implies unexpected or unwanted situations
  • Often used for precautionary scenarios

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wànyì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.

若是 ruòshì (HSK 5)

  • Literary/classical style
  • Similar to 倘若 tǎngruò
  • Formal written Chinese

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!

假设 jiǎshè (HSK 6)

  • Most formal/academic
  • Used for theoretical suppositions
  • Common in academic writing

假设jiǎshè地球dìqiú是shì平píng的de， 那么nàme…
Supposing the Earth were flat, then…

假设jiǎshè太阳tàiyáng往wǎng西xī斜xié10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?

倘若 tǎngruò (HSK 7-9)

  • Literary/classical style
  • Rarely used in modern spoken Chinese
  • Very formal

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huó着zhe回来huílái， 我们wǒmen就jiù成亲chéngqīn
If I can come back alive tomorrow, we’ll get married.

Usage tips

  • Everyday speech: 如果 rúguǒ、要是 yàoshi、的话 dehuà
  • Formal situations: 假如 jiǎrú、假设 jiǎshè
  • Emergency/unexpected: 万一 wànyī
  • Writing/literature: 倘若 tǎngruò、若是 ruòshì

Combinations are possible

  • 如果 rúguǒ … 的话 dehuà
  • 要是 yàoshi … 的话 dehuà
  • 假如 jiǎrú … 的话 dehuà
  • 万一 wànyī … 的话 dehuà

Level of formality (from casual to formal):
的话 dehuà < 要是 yàoshi < 如果 rúguǒ < 假如 jiǎrú < 万一 wànyī < 假设 jiǎshè < 倘若 tǎngruò = 若是 ruòshì

Do you like it? 🙂