Conditional Sentences: “要是……，就……”

In Chinese, the pattern “要是……，就……” (yàoshi..., jiù...) expresses a supposition or a condition.

The first clause states the condition, the second the result that follows if that condition is met.

Basic structure

要是 + condition，就 + result

If …, then …

要是申请到奖学金，就能减轻不少经济压力

要是 + 申请到奖学金，+ 就 + 能减轻不少经济压力 if + one gets a scholarship + then + it relieves a lot of financial pressure

要是 — if 申请到奖学金 — manage to get a scholarship 就 — then 能减轻 — can relieve 不少经济压力 — quite a lot of financial pressure

你要是明天有时间，就跟我一起去爬山吧

你 + 要是 + 明天有时间，+ 就 + 跟我一起去爬山吧 you + if + have time tomorrow + then + come climbing with me

明天有时间 — have time tomorrow 跟我一起 — together with me 去爬山 — go mountain climbing 吧 — suggestion particle

要是她不愿意参加比赛，我们就再问问别人

要是 + 她不愿意参加比赛，+ 我们就 + 再问问别人 if + she doesn’t want to take part + then we + will ask someone else

不愿意 — be unwilling 参加比赛 — take part in a competition 我们就 — then we 再问问别人 — go and ask someone else

要是 + condition，就 + result

The first part states a supposition or condition, the second the result when it is fulfilled.

要是明天有时间，就一起去

要是她不愿意，我们就问别人