倘若／若／假使…，就／那么…
if; suppose … then … (formal)
Structure
倘若／若／假使 假设的情况 ，（那么） 主语 ＋ 就 …
What it means
If; suppose … then …: the formal “if” words. 倘若 and 若 are written cousins of 如果; 假使 and 假设 stress a pure supposition, often contrary to fact.
How it is built
倘若／若／假使 + condition, (那么) subject + 就 + result: 倘若明天下雨，比赛就改在室内进行 (Should it rain tomorrow, the match will move indoors). 若 often follows the subject: 你若…
When to use it
Writing and formal speech; in everyday talk 如果 or 要是 is natural. 假使 suits “had it not been …”: 假使当初没有那次失败…. Met: 假如 (1-16), 倘若 (4-6), 若…则… (5-3).
Watch out
就 goes after the subject of the second clause: ✗就我们去 ✓我们就去. Don’t double up the “if”: ✗倘若如果.
Examples
倘若明天下雨，比赛就改在室内进行。
Should it rain tomorrow, the match will be moved indoors.
你若不同意，那么我们就再商量。
If you do not agree, then we will talk it over again.
假使当初没有那次失败，也就没有今天的成功。
Had it not been for that failure back then, there would be no success today.
Learn this in Lesson 124 · HSK 7–9: 人造太阳的一千秒 (Science news: 1,066 seconds of an artificial sun)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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