How to say if, only if and no matter what in Chinese

如果…就… — if...then...HSK 2

如果 introduces a condition, and 就 introduces the result that follows.

如果每个星期都打扫，房间就不会那么乱了。 — If you clean every week, the room won't get so messy.

Seen in 打扫房间和室友相处打算去旅行节约用水 +1

每 … 都 …HSK 2

每 (měi) 'every' is almost always paired with 都 (dōu) before the verb, e.g. 我每天都喝茶.

每年新年，我都回家看爸爸妈妈。 — Every New Year, I go home to visit my mom and dad.

Seen in 新年快乐踢足球

只要……就……HSK 4

"As long as A, then B." 只要 introduces a sufficient condition, and 就 marks the result: 只要用手机选好菜，饭就送到了门口。

只要多练习，你就会进步。— As long as you practice more, you will improve.

Seen in 外卖时代流行音乐地方口音雾霾与蓝天 +4

无论……都……HSK 4

"No matter (whether) A or B, the result C still holds." It shows that a condition doesn't change the outcome: 无论你想吃小吃，还是想买便宜的衣服，夜市都能满足你。

无论多忙，他都会给妈妈打电话。— No matter how busy he is, he always calls his mom.

Seen in 夜市文化快递小哥老龄化社会考古新发现 +2

只有……才……HSK 4

"Only if A, then B" states a necessary condition for a result: 只有读研才能让自己更有竞争力。

只有努力学习，才能取得好成绩。— Only by studying hard can you achieve good grades.

Seen in 考研热养宠物的责任故宫的故事幸存者偏差

谁……，谁就……HSK 4

A question word used twice means "whoever / whichever": 谁付了钱，谁就有面子。

谁先到，谁就先点菜。— Whoever arrives first orders first.

Seen in 面子成语故事：画蛇添足

不管……都……HSK 4

"No matter A, B still holds." 不管 introduces a condition that makes no difference, and 都 stresses that the result never changes, as in 不管刮风下雨，我都得带它出去散步.

不管刮风下雨，我都得带它出去散步。 — No matter whether it's windy or raining, I have to take it out for a walk.

Seen in 养宠物的责任京剧脸谱

一旦…就… (once…, then…)HSK 5

一旦 marks a condition that, once it happens, brings an irreversible result: 有些东西一旦失去，就再也找不回来了。

一旦决定了，就不要后悔。— Once you have decided, don't regret it.

Seen in 家乡的变化非物质文化遗产翻译的艺术深度工作 +3

未必 — not necessarilyHSK 5

未必 softly denies an assumption, weaker than 不 or 没有: 我们未必是被别人关起来的。

价格贵的东西未必好用。 — Expensive things are not necessarily easy to use.

Seen in 信息茧房马拉松热知足常乐塞翁失马新解

再…也… — no matter how [adjective], still…HSK 5

再 sets up an extreme degree, and 也 shows that the conclusion holds regardless of that degree.

网上骂人的声音再大，也不代表大多数人的真实想法。 — No matter how loud the online insults are, they still don't represent the true thoughts of most people.

Seen in 网络暴力独生子女一代副业刚需

凡是…都… (every…, all without exception)HSK 5

凡是 marks a whole category, and 都 confirms that the statement covers every member: 凡是去远方的船，都离不开它。

凡是来过这里的人，都喜欢这个城市。 — Everyone who has been here loves this city.

Seen in 四大发明一碗兰州拉面

How to use this page

These 11 patterns all do the same job in Chinese, so they are worth seeing side by side — the differences between them are easier to feel when they are next to each other than when they are spread across six HSK levels. They range from HSK 2–5.

Grammar sticks through reading, not through lists. Each entry links to the reading it was taken from. Skim the page, then go read one of them and come back when a sentence stops making sense.

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