HSK 4 grammar · new HSK syllabus
否则 and 要是: otherwise, if
否则 = otherwise: 快走吧，否则要迟到了. 要是 = if (spoken).
Structure
- A，否则 + B
- 要是 + condition，(就) + result
How it works
否则 introduces what will happen if you don’t do the first thing: 你得早点儿睡，否则明天起不来.
要是 is a spoken “if”, like 如果: 要是你有时间，就来吧.
Examples
-
快走吧，否则要迟到了。
Kuài zǒu ba, fǒuzé yào chídào le.
Let’s go, or we’ll be late.
-
你要多穿点儿，否则会感冒。
Nǐ yào duō chuān diǎn ér, fǒuzé huì gǎnmào.
Put more clothes on or you’ll catch a cold.
-
要是明天天气好，我们就去爬山。
Yào shì míngtiān tiānqì hǎo, wǒmen jiù qù pá shān.
If the weather’s nice tomorrow, we’ll go hiking.
-
要是你不喜欢，可以换一个。
Yào shì nǐ bù xǐhuan, kěyǐ huàn yí gè.
If you don’t like it, you can swap it.
-
必须按时交作业，否则老师会生气。
Bìxū ànshí jiāo zuòyè, fǒuzé lǎoshī huì shēngqì.
You must hand in homework on time, otherwise the teacher will be angry.
Words in these examples (34)
| 快 | kuài | fast; quick; soon | HSK 2 |
| 走 | zǒu | to walk; to leave | HSK 2 |
| 吧 | ba | (particle for suggestions: "let's…", "…, OK?") | HSK 1 |
| 否则 | fǒuzé | otherwise | HSK 4 |
| 要 | yào | to want; will; should | HSK 1 |
| 迟到 | chídào | to be late | HSK 3 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 多 | duō | many; much; (in questions) how | HSK 1 |
| 穿 | chuān | to wear; to put on (clothes) | HSK 1 |
| 点 | diǎn | o'clock; (measure word) a little | HSK 1 |
| 会 | huì | can; to know how to | HSK 1 |
| 感冒 | gǎnmào | to catch a cold; a cold | HSK 3 |
| 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are); yes | HSK 1 |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | HSK 1 |
| 天气 | tiānqì | weather | HSK 1 |
| 好 | hǎo | good; well | HSK 1 |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 就 | jiù | then; just; right away; only | HSK 2 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
| 爬 | pá | to climb; to crawl | HSK 3 |
| 山 | shān | mountain; hill | HSK 3 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuan | to like | HSK 1 |
| 可以 | kěyǐ | can; may | HSK 1 |
| 换 | huàn | to change; to exchange | HSK 3 |
| 一 | yī | one | HSK 1 |
| 个 | gè | (general measure word) | HSK 1 |
| 必须 | bìxū | must; have to | HSK 3 |
| 按时 | ànshí | on time | HSK 4 |
| 交 | jiāo | to hand in; to pay; to make (friends) | HSK 4 |
| 作业 | zuòyè | homework | HSK 3 |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher | HSK 1 |
| 生气 | shēngqì | to get angry | HSK 3 |
Common mistakes
-
✗否则快走吧，我们要迟到了。
✓快走吧，否则我们要迟到了。
否则 starts the second clause.
-
✗要是下雨，所以不去。
✓要是下雨，就不去。
要是 pairs with 就.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 你最好提前订票， 可能买不到。
2. 你需要帮忙，就给我打电话。
3. 要是你累了， 休息一会儿吧。