Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences express 'if...then' relationships. Cantonese shares most patterns with Mandarin, with a few key differences in particle usage.

如果...就 jyu4 gwo2...zau6 (if...then) — The standard conditional: 如果你去，我就去 jyu4 gwo2 nei5 heoi3, ngo5 zau6 heoi3 (If you go, I'll go). 如果 can often be dropped in casual speech: 你去，我就去. Identical to Mandarin structure.

如果唔係 jyu4 gwo2 m4 hai6 (if not / otherwise) — This Cantonese expression means 'otherwise' or 'if it weren't the case': 好彩你嚟咗，如果唔係我就走喇 (Good thing you came, otherwise I would have left). Mandarin uses 要不然 yàobùrán or 否則 fǒuzé.

就算...都 zau6 syun3...dou1 (even if...still) — Concessive conditional: 就算落雨，我都去 zau6 syun3 lok6 jyu5, ngo5 dou1 heoi3 (Even if it rains, I'll still go). Note: Cantonese uses 都 dou1 where Mandarin uses 也 yě: 就算下雨，我也去.

一...就 jat1...zau6 (as soon as...then) — Immediate consequence: 一聽到就知 jat1 teng1 dou3 zau6 zi1 (as soon as I heard, I knew). 佢一嚟就走 keoi5 jat1 lai4 zau6 zau2 (as soon as he came, he left). Same as Mandarin.

要係...就 jiu3 hai6...zau6 — A more colloquial Cantonese way to say 'if': 要係你唔鍾意，就唔好食 jiu3 hai6 nei5 m4 zung1 ji3, zau6 m4 hou2 sik6 (if you don't like it, then don't eat it). This is more casual than 如果.