New here? This is lesson 201 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
If, then in Traditional Chinese
Yi-Jun still wants the Tainan trip, but the forecast keeps changing. If the typhoon turns toward Taipei, they stay put.
Learn how to set conditions with 如果 and 要是, then add 只要, 除非, and 不然 for backup plans.
Listen for 就 after the condition. You will use these lines to decide whether to go, wait, or pick another day.
By the end of this lesson
Make if-then plans with 如果 and 要是, and use 只要, 除非, and 不然 for a backup.
- 如果下雨，我就不去了If it rains, I won't go.
- 要是你有空，就來吧If you're free, come over.
- 只要你想，隨時可以As long as you want, any time.
- 如果沒趕上，怎麼辦？If we don't make it, what then?
- 除非你同意，不然我不做Unless you agree, I won't do it.
- 不然我們改天Otherwise, another day.
Scene — a wet-weather call
Maya and Yi-Jun sit at Banyan Breakfast with the weather app open. A-Li is at the back table, soy milk still unfinished.
They planned Tainan, but the typhoon might change course. If it rains hard, they stay in Taipei. The fortune slip stays in the till; nobody reads it today.
Learn — if, then, and unless
These six lines set a condition, then say what follows. 如果 and 要是 both mean if.
只要 means as long as. 除非 means unless. 不然 gives the other option.
如果下雨，我就不去了
If it rains, I won't go.
When to use it: Use this to cancel a plan when rain is the condition.
如果 opens the if-clause, and 就 marks the result that follows.
Say it: 不 before a fourth-tone verb often switches to second tone.
要是你有空，就來吧
If you're free, come over.
When to use it: Invite someone only if they have time.
要是 is a casual if, close in meaning to 如果 in everyday talk.
Say it: 吧 at the end of this line is a light neutral tone.
只要你想，隨時可以
As long as you want, any time.
When to use it: Say the only condition is that the other person wants to.
只要 means the result holds as long as that one condition is true.
如果沒趕上，怎麼辦？
If we don't make it, what then?
When to use it: Ask what happens if you miss a train or a deadline.
沒趕上 presents the miss as an outcome; 不趕上 can also be a future or hypothetical miss.
Say it: 麼 in this question is a light neutral tone.
除非你同意，不然我不做
Unless you agree, I won't do it.
When to use it: Refuse to act unless the other person agrees first.
除非 names the only exception, and 不然 states what you do without it.
不然我們改天
Otherwise, another day.
When to use it: Offer another day when the first plan may not work.
不然 here means otherwise and points to the backup plan.
Story — stay if the typhoon turns
Listen as Maya and Yi-Jun weigh the Tainan trip against the typhoon. A-Li hears them from the back table.
They set conditions, then choose to stay or pick another day.
Yi-Jun我們還去臺南嗎？Are we still going to Tainan?
Maya要看天氣。It depends on the weather.- Yi-Jun先查一下天氣。Let's check the weather first.
- Maya如果下雨，我就不去了。If it rains, I won't go.
- Yi-Jun那待在臺北喔？Then we stay in Taipei?
- Maya對啊，待在臺北。Yes, we stay in Taipei.
- Yi-Jun那我下午過去？Shall I come over this afternoon?
- Maya要是你有空，就來吧。If you're free, come over.
- Yi-Jun只要你想，隨時可以。As long as you want, any time.
A-Li豆漿還沒喝完。The soy milk still isn't finished.- Yi-Jun still has the afternoon tickets on her phone.
- Yi-Jun可是車票還在。But we still have the tickets.
- Maya如果沒趕上，怎麼辦？If we don't make it, what then?
- Yi-Jun那你去改票吧。Then you go change the tickets.
- Maya除非你同意，不然我不做。Unless you agree, I won't do it.
- Yi-Jun不然呢？Otherwise?
- Maya不然我們改天。Otherwise, another day.
- Yi-Jun好喔，那就改天。Okay, then another day.
- A-Li待在家也好。Staying home is fine too.
Practice — pick the right condition
Try these exercises to pick the right if-then line. Some ask you to hear a condition, others to fill a gap.
After each answer, read why the other choices do not fit.
0 of 10 done
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
如果下雨，我就不去了
What do you say?
What do you say?
Yi-Jun may stay in Taipei. Invite her over if she has time.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
If we don't make it, what then?
如果沒____，怎麼辦？
Build the line
Build the line
Otherwise, another day.
Tap the words in order.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Swap the word
Swap the word
Yi-Jun tells you to change the tickets. You won't do it unless she agrees.
____你同意，不然我不做
Pick the reply
Yi-Jun says:
Pick the reply
那你去改票吧。
Then you go change the tickets.
And you reply with:
Match the pairs
Traditional Chinese
如果下雨，我就不去了Drop the English here要是你有空，就來吧Drop the English here只要你想，隨時可以Drop the English here不然我們改天Drop the English hereEnglish
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
要看天氣
What do you say?
What do you say?
Yi-Jun has her phone out. Tell her to look up the weather before you decide.
Say it — your if-then plans
You play Maya and talk through the trip with Yi-Jun. Listen to each cue, then say the condition or backup plan.
Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay her line before your turn.
- The forecast looks wet, and the Tainan trip is still not settled.
- Maya (you)Say you won't go if it rains.
Say you won't go if it rains.
如果下雨，我就不去了
If it rains, I won't go.
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 如果下雨，我就不去了 | If it rains, I won't go. | |
| 要是你有空，就來吧 | If you're free, come over. | |
| 只要你想，隨時可以 | As long as you want, any time. | |
| 如果沒趕上，怎麼辦？ | If we don't make it, what then? | |
| 除非你同意，不然我不做 | Unless you agree, I won't do it. | |
| 不然我們改天 | Otherwise, another day. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Today's if-then lines are in Yak Cards with more backup plans for rainy days.
Review a few condition cards each day so 如果 and 要是 come quickly.
Open Yak Cards