Difference between 如果 (rúguǒ) vs. 要是 (yàoshì) | Learn Chinese

哈囉，大家好!
哈啰，大家好！I’m Grace.

In Chinese, 如果 and 要是 are two common words that can express “If”.

But what exactly are the differences between them?

Today let’s talk about them

so you’ll know how to choose between
them

to sound more natural in Chinese!

Oh, and if you want the handout for this video and some practice exercises,

you can join my Patreon membership!

You'll get access to that and lots of other study resources,

and you'll also be supporting me to keep making more content.

Alright 話不多說，我們開始吧!(Without further ado. Let’s get started!)

Both 如果 and 要是 can be used to introduce a condition

or situation that may or may not come true.

For example,

如果明天你很忙，我就下次再去找你。

要是明天你很忙，我就下次再去找你。

If you're busy tomorrow, I’ll just come see you another time.

Here we use 如果 and 要是 to propose a hypothetical situation “明天你很忙 (you’re busy tomorrow)”,

and then talk about a result based on this hypothetical situation.

Btw just a side note,

the standard pronunciation of this word (要是) is “要是4” in Taiwanese Mandarin

and “要是0” in Mandarin from China.

One thing to keep in mind is that

in Chinese the “if” clause usually comes first,

and then we talk about the result or pose a question

or comment based on the hypothetical situation.

In English, the “if” clause can often be placed at the end,

but in Chinese, it’s not as common.

Alright, now let’s talk about the difference between these two words.
Generally speaking, 如果 is more commonly used both in speaking and writing,

whereas 要是 sounds more casual so it’s mainly used in informal speaking,

you can often hear it in daily conversations.

Although 如果 is more common,

this doesn’t mean 要是 is less important than 如果,

there are still some contexts where 要是 is more suitable than 如果

because they also have some subtle differences in the feeling or mood that is expressed.

Compared to 如果, 要是 sounds more emotional and personal, 如果 is more neutral and sounds more objective.

Because of this difference, when expressing personal hopes or desires in daily speech, we often use 要是.

Let’s see some examples:

If Manzhen could marry him, that would be wonderful!

Another example,

If I could die for this future, how wonderful that would be.

Here is a common pattern to express a wish that probably won’t be fulfilled:

If only... / I wish...

For example

Another example,

要是 is also often used when threatening or warning others.

Here are some examples:

Here the man is threatening the woman to say yes,

and he uses 要是 here because it makes his
attitude sound more strong and firm.

Another example,

Here the speaker is warning the other person not to let him get caught,

and using 要是 can convey a stronger attitude compared to 如果.

Unlike 要是, 如果 sounds more neutral and objective,

so it’s suitable to use in most scenarios and settings.

For example, you can use 如果 to make a polite suggestion:

Another example,

Here are some other examples using 如果:

Alright, so the main difference between 如果 and 要是 is that

如果 is more commonly used in general,

you can use it both in speaking and writing.

However, 要是 sounds more casual so it’s
mainly used in speaking.

It also sounds more emotional and personal,

so we often use it when expressing personal wishes

or when we want to sound firmer in our attitude,

such as in situations involving threats or warnings.

Just note that in spoken Chinese, these two are usually interchangeable.

It's not that one is correct and the other is wrong—

they just convey slightly different attitudes or levels of formality.

Okay, that’s all for today!

I haven’t made a teaching video in quite a while—

thank you so much for your patience!

Just a quick reminder: If you want to get the handout for this video and do some practice exercises,

you can join my Patreon membership.

It’s also a great way to support me in making more content for you!

If you liked today’s content,

you might also enjoy this video where I explain the difference between 但是 (but) and 可是 (but).

Also, if there are any other words you’ve been wondering about their difference,

feel free to leave a comment and let me know—

it might turn into a future video!

Okay, last but not least,

if you want to learn some daily Mandarin expressions,

be sure to check out my Instagram @gracemandarin

那我們就下次見囉!拜拜!
那我们就下次⻅啰!拜拜!
I’ll see you next time! Bye!