如果 / 要是 ... 就 ...
Reach for this when you want to pair a condition with its immediate consequence — 'if X, then Y.' 如果 is the neutral / written form, 要是 the colloquial one; both pair with 就 in the result clause to mark 'then.' The 就 is the workhorse here — it locks the result tightly to the condition, telling the listener 'as soon as that's true, this follows.' Spoken Chinese frequently drops 如果/要是 and leans on 就 alone.
Structure
如果 / 要是 [CONDITION]，[SUBJECT] 就 [RESULT]
rúguǒ / yàoshi... jiù...
How to Think About It
Think of 就 as the hinge of the conditional, not 如果. 如果 just announces 'we're in hypothetical mode now'; 就 is what actually wires the consequence to the condition. That's why Chinese can drop 如果 in conversation (你来我就走 — 'you come, I leave') but rarely drops 就 — without 就 the two clauses feel like separate thoughts pasted together.
Examples
如果你不去，我就不去。
Rúguǒ nǐ bú qù, wǒ jiù bú qù.
If you don't go, I won't go either.
要是下雨，我们就在家看电影。
Yàoshi xià yǔ, wǒmen jiù zài jiā kàn diànyǐng.
If it rains, we'll just watch a movie at home.
如果有问题，你就告诉我。
Rúguǒ yǒu wèntí, nǐ jiù gàosu wǒ.
If there's a problem, just tell me.
Common Mistake
Learners put 就 right after 如果 instead of in the result clause. 就 belongs in the second half, in front of the verb that follows from the condition.
如果就明天下雨，我们不去。
如果明天下雨，我们就不去。
Don't Confuse With
只要... 就...
只要 means 'as long as' — sets a minimum sufficient condition. 如果 is purely hypothetical; 只要 promises the result follows whenever the condition holds.
如果...的话
Adding 的话 at the end of the condition clause softens the tone. Pure 如果...就... feels more direct; 如果...的话，就... feels gentler in speech.
除非... 才...
除非 means 'unless' — negative conditional. 如果...就... says 'if X then Y'; 除非...才... says 'only if X will Y happen.'
Practice
Fill in the blank: 如果你不去，我 ___ 不去。
Show answer
就
Fill in the blank: ___ 下雨，我们就在家看电影。
Show answer
要是
Arrange: 不去，/ 不去 / 你 / 如果 / 就 / 我 / 。
Show answer
如果你不去，我就不去。
Translate to Chinese: If there's a problem, just tell me.
Show answer
如果有问题，你就告诉我。
Write a sentence using 要是...就... about your weekend plan.
Show answer
要是天气好，我就去跑步。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: