If: 如果…（的话），就…
如果 opens the condition, optional 的话 closes it, and 就 opens the result. Chinese verbs never change shape for “if” — the frame does all the work.
Structure
如果／要是 + 条件（+ 的话），（主语）+ 就 + 结果
Explanation
Chinese words in this text can be activated to show a dictionary gloss.
， “If it rains tomorrow, we won’t go to the park.” The condition comes first, introduced by ; the result follows, with standing in front of its verb.
Three things are worth fixing early. is an adverb, so it goes after the subject of the second clause: , never . is optional and colloquial, and if you use it, it closes the condition — — so it can never be attached to at the front. And when is present, itself may be dropped: ，.
is the everyday spoken equivalent of and behaves identically: ， “If you have time, come round.” Both are neutral about how likely the condition is.
Nothing in the Chinese marks tense or mood, which is a relief after European languages: the same words serve “if it rains”, “if it rained” and “if it were to rain”. What Chinese does insist on is that the result clause be marked — with , or with when the result runs against expectation. Leaving the second clause bare makes the sentence read as two unconnected statements.
One further habit: because the frame is already conditional, has no place in it. ， mixes two frames and says neither.
Correct
Say each one out loud before moving on. The audio is a reference pronunciation, not a model to imitate exactly — match the tone contour, not the voice.
如果明天下雨，我们就不去公园了。如果明天下雨，我們就不去公園了。
Rúguǒ (second tone, rising) míngtiān (second tone, rising) xià (fourth tone, falling) yǔ, (third tone, dipping) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) bú (second tone, rising) qù (fourth tone, falling) gōngyuán (first tone, high and level) le. (neutral tone)···
If it rains tomorrow, we won’t go to the park.
你要是有时间的话，就来我家坐坐。你要是有時間的話，就來我家坐坐。
Nǐ (third tone, dipping) yàoshi (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) shíjiān (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) huà, (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) wǒ (third tone, dipping) jiā (first tone, high and level) zuòzuo. (fourth tone, falling)···
If you have time, come round to my place for a bit.
如果你不舒服，就早点儿休息吧。如果你不舒服，就早點兒休息吧。
Rúguǒ (second tone, rising) nǐ (third tone, dipping) bù (fourth tone, falling) shūfu, (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) zǎodiǎnr (third tone, dipping) xiūxi (first tone, high and level) ba. (neutral tone)···
If you’re not feeling well, get some rest early.
Incorrect — Common mistakes
These sentences are wrong. They are printed here on purpose, each one paired with the repair and the reason, because the error you can recognise is the error you stop making.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 如果明天下雨的话，就我们不去了。
Correct
Correct sentence: 如果明天下雨的话，我们就不去了。
Why: 就 is an adverb: it follows the subject of the result clause and stands directly in front of the verb.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 如果的话明天下雨，我们就不去了。
Correct
Correct sentence: 如果明天下雨的话，我们就不去了。
Why: 如果 opens the condition and 的话 closes it. The two never sit side by side at the front.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 如果你有时间，但是来我家坐坐。
Correct
Correct sentence: 如果你有时间，就来我家坐坐。
Why: The result of a condition is introduced by 就, not by a contrast word. 但是 belongs to 虽然…但是…, a completely different frame.
Compared with
Most errors with this pattern are not errors about this pattern — they are a neighbouring pattern arriving at the wrong moment. Read these side by side.
Both frames end in 就, but they claim different things about the condition. 如果 is neutral: it raises a possibility and says what would follow. 只要 is a promise that the condition is *enough* — nothing else is required. Compare 如果你努力，就能通过考试 “If you work hard, you’ll pass” with 只要你努力，就能通过考试 “Just work hard and you’ll pass.” Where the English has “just” or “all you have to do is”, the Chinese wants 只要; where it is a plain “if”, use 如果.
Enough versus indispensable: 只要…就… and 只有…才… →Mini quiz
Question 1 / 3Total score: 0
Fill the gap: “If it rains tomorrow, we won’t go.”
如果明天下雨，我们 ___ 不去了。