HSK 3 grammar · new HSK syllabus
只要…就…: as long as
只要 A 就 B = as long as A, B will follow: 只要你努力，就能学好.
Structure
- 只要 + condition，(subject) + 就 + result
How it works
只要 gives a condition that is enough on its own; 就 gives the result: 只要你每天练习，就会进步.
Compare 只有…才…, which gives the only condition that works. 只要 is easy and encouraging; 只有 is strict.
Examples
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只要你努力，就一定能学好汉语。
Zhǐyào nǐ nǔlì, jiù yídìng néng xué hǎo Hànyǔ.
As long as you work hard, you will learn Chinese well.
-
只要不下雨，我们就去爬山。
Zhǐyào bú xiàyǔ, wǒmen jiù qù pá shān.
As long as it doesn’t rain, we’ll go hiking.
-
只要有时间，我就去看你。
Zhǐyào yǒu shíjiān, wǒ jiù qù kàn nǐ.
Whenever I have time, I’ll come to see you.
-
只要你喜欢，就买吧。
Zhǐyào nǐ xǐhuan, jiù mǎi ba.
If you like it, just buy it.
-
只要多听多说，你的汉语就会越来越好。
Zhǐyào duō tīng duō shuō, nǐ de Hànyǔ jiù huì yuè lái yuè hǎo.
If you listen and speak a lot, your Chinese will keep improving.
Words in these examples (29)
| 只要 | zhǐyào | as long as | HSK 3 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 努力 | nǔlì | to try hard; hard-working | HSK 3 |
| 就 | jiù | then; just; right away; only | HSK 2 |
| 一定 | yídìng | certainly; surely | HSK 3 |
| 能 | néng | can; to be able to | HSK 1 |
| 学 | xué | to learn; to study | HSK 1 |
| 好 | hǎo | good; well | HSK 1 |
| 汉语 | Hànyǔ | Chinese (language) | HSK 1 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 下雨 | xiàyǔ | to rain | HSK 1 |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
| 爬 | pá | to climb; to crawl | HSK 3 |
| 山 | shān | mountain; hill | HSK 3 |
| 有 | yǒu | to have; there is | HSK 1 |
| 时间 | shíjiān | time | HSK 1 |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 看 | kàn | to look; to watch; to read | HSK 1 |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuan | to like | HSK 1 |
| 买 | mǎi | to buy | HSK 1 |
| 吧 | ba | (particle for suggestions: "let's…", "…, OK?") | HSK 1 |
| 多 | duō | many; much; (in questions) how | HSK 1 |
| 听 | tīng | to listen; to hear | HSK 1 |
| 说 | shuō | to say; to speak | HSK 1 |
| 的 | de | (particle linking a describer to a noun, like "'s") | HSK 1 |
| 会 | huì | can; to know how to | HSK 1 |
| 越 | yuè | (越…越…) the more… the more… | HSK 3 |
| 来 | lái | to come | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
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✗只要你努力，才能学好。
✓只要你努力，就能学好。
只要 pairs with 就.
-
✗只要你努力，你能学好。
✓只要你努力，你就能学好。
Keep 就 in the second half.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 只要你来，我 很高兴。
2. 天气好，我们就出去玩儿。
3. 只要有电脑，在家 可以工作。