The 要是…就 (yàoshi…jiù) construction in Chinese grammar
The 要是…就 (yàoshi…jiù) construction is a very common way to form conditional statements in Chinese. Conditional statements are simply sentences that involve “if” in English.
The basic structure for using 要是…就 is:
要是
[condition]，就 [result]So you start the sentence with 要是 - “if”, then you give the condition. That’s the first part done. Then you just add another phrase after it with 就 and some action or result for the condition.
Let’s have a look at some example sentences:
This is a very versatile structure, and it’s usually quite easy to use because it’s similar to how “if” sentences are formed in English. Say the “if” word, give the condition, then give the result.
要是…就 with a subject
Be careful when adding a subject in the result or action part of a 要是 sentence! The structure for this is:
要是
[condition]，[subject] 就 [result]As you can see, the subject comes before 就. Have a look at some example sentences for 要是 sentences with a subject in the result:
Just remember to always put the subject before 就, and not after it.
要是…就 with 的话
You can also combine 要是…就 with 的话 to form “if” sentences in Chinese. The structure for this is:要是
[condition] 的话，就 [result]This is still the same basic structure - the only difference is that 的话 has been added after the condition. Chinese “if” sentences have a lot of options like this. You can use various different “if” words before the condition, and it’s optional whether or not to put 的话 after the condition.
Some example sentences for 要是…就 with 的话:
Don’t worry if that last sentence is a bit difficult! It’s a bit trickier than most 要是…就 sentences that you might see in textbooks, but you’ll become familiar with everything in it soon if you keep studying.
See also
- “If… then…” with “yaoshi” - Chinese Grammar Wiki
- Mandarin Conditional Sentences - About.com
- Chinese grammar de hua (的话): expressing “if” in Chinese with de hua