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Level Everyday Chinese · HSK 2

If, Or, While and The More: 如果, 的话, 还是, 或者, 一边, 越…越

These are the A2 sentence frames that link two ideas. Each has a fixed shape, and like all Chinese frames they mark both halves: "if ..., then ...", "the more ..., the more ...".

如果…(的话)，就…

如果 (rúguǒ) opens the condition and 就 (jiù) introduces the result. 就 goes after the subject of the second clause, before the verb. …的话 at the end of the condition also means "if": it can go with 如果 or replace it in speech.

  • 如果明天下雨，我们就不去了。

    Rúguǒ míngtiān xià yǔ, wǒmen jiù bú qù le.

    If it rains tomorrow, we won't go.

  • 你有空的话，来我家吃饭吧。

    Nǐ yǒu kòng de huà, lái wǒ jiā chī fàn ba.

    If you're free, come over for dinner.

  • 如果你不喜欢的话，就别买了。

    Rúguǒ nǐ bù xǐhuan de huà, jiù bié mǎi le.

    If you don't like it, don't buy it.

还是 vs 或者: or

还是 (háishi) is "or" in a question that asks someone to choose. 或者 (huòzhě) is "or" in a statement, listing options. Using 或者 in a question changes it into a yes-no question.

UseExample
还是question: which one?你喝茶还是喝咖啡？ Tea or coffee?
或者statement: either喝茶或者喝咖啡都可以。 Tea or coffee, either is fine.

  • 你今天去还是明天去？

    Nǐ jīntiān qù háishi míngtiān qù?

    Are you going today or tomorrow?

  • 周末我常常看书或者看电影。

    Zhōumò wǒ chángcháng kàn shū huòzhě kàn diànyǐng.

    At weekends I usually read or watch a film.

一边…一边…: while

一边 (yìbiān) before each of two verbs means doing both at once. The subject comes first, before the first 一边.

  • 他一边吃饭一边看手机。

    Tā yìbiān chī fàn yìbiān kàn shǒujī.

    He looks at his phone while he eats.

  • 我喜欢一边听音乐一边做作业。

    Wǒ xǐhuan yìbiān tīng yīnyuè yìbiān zuò zuòyè.

    I like listening to music while I do my homework.

越…越…: the more … the more

越 (yuè) + verb, 越 + adjective: "the more ..., the more ...". With one subject it can be compact: 越来越 + adjective means "more and more". No 很 after 越.

  • 雨越下越大。

    Yǔ yuè xià yuè dà.

    The rain is getting heavier and heavier.

  • 他的中文越来越好了。

    Tā de Zhōngwén yuèláiyuè hǎo le.

    His Chinese is getting better and better.

  • 我越想越生气。

    Wǒ yuè xiǎng yuè shēngqì.

    The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

Common mistakes

  • ✗你喝茶或者喝咖啡？

    ✓你喝茶还是喝咖啡？

    Nǐ hē chá háishi hē kāfēi?

    When you ask someone to pick, "or" is 还是. 或者 is for statements.

  • ✗如果下雨，就我们不去。

    ✓如果下雨，我们就不去。

    Rúguǒ xià yǔ, wǒmen jiù bú qù.

    就 is an adverb: it goes after the subject, right before the verb.

  • ✗天气越来越很冷。

    ✓天气越来越冷。

    Tiānqì yuèláiyuè lěng.

    越 already expresses degree, so no 很 after it.

Questions learners ask

Is 要是 the same as 如果?

Yes, 要是 (yàoshi) is the spoken "if". It's covered in the B1 guide on conditions.

Can 还是 mean anything else?

Yes: before a verb 还是 means "still" or "had better": 我还是不去了 (I think I'd better not go).

Practice this in lessons

The Everyday Chinese lessons teach this step by step, with exercises and review built in.

Practice this in lessons →

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