Complex Sentence PatternsHSK 4
Expressing "if" with 如果...的话
Use 如果...的话 to express "if..." in a conversational way. The particle 的话 is placed at the end of the conditional clause, and the result clause often starts with 就, but 就 is optional.
Structure
如果 + [Clause A] + 的话 ，(就) + [Clause B]
就 is frequently used but optional.
Examples
- 如果明天下雨的话，我们就不去了。Rúguǒ míngtiān xiàyǔ dehuà , wǒmen jiù bù qù le.If it rains tomorrow, we won't go.
- 别点那么多菜。如果吃不完的话，就太浪费了。Bié diǎn nàme duō cài. Rúguǒ chī bu wán dehuà , jiù tài làngfèi le.Don't order so much. It will be a big waste of food if we can't finish it all.
- 如果有人帮他的话，他就不会出事了。Rúguǒ yǒu rén bāng tā dehuà , tā jiù bù huì chūshì le.If someone had helped him, he would't have had this accident.
- 如果你们不来的话，一定会后悔的。Rúguǒ nǐmen bù lái dehuà , yīdìng huì hòuhuǐ de .If you don't come, you'll definitely regret it.
- 如果他不同意的话，你怎么办？Rúguǒ tā bù tóngyì dehuà , nǐ zěnmebàn?What will you do if he doesn't agree?