Meaning of if in English

conjunction

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/ɪf/ uk

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/ɪf/

if conjunction (IN THAT SITUATION)

used to say that a particular thing can or will happen only after something else happens or becomes true:

I'll pay you double if you get the work finished by Friday.

We'll have the party in the garden if the weather's good. If not (= if the weather is not good), it'll have to be inside.

If anyone calls, just say I'll be back in the office at four o'clock.

If she hadn't called, I wouldn't have known.

I wouldn't work for them (even) if they paid me twice my current salary.

We'll deal with that problem if and when it arises.

If disturbed, the bird may abandon the nest, leaving the chicks to die.

although:

They're great kids, even if they can be demanding.

literary It was a hot, if windy day.

every time:

If water is heated to 212°F (100°C) it turns to steam.

If I don't get enough sleep I get a headache.

used to mean "if it is true that":

I'm very sorry if I've offended you.

More examples

You'll feel cold if you don't wear a coat.
You have to go to college for a lot of years if you want to be a doctor.
Try to act confidently, even if you feel nervous.
The TV won't work if the aerial's not connected.
Biscuits will stay crisp if you keep them in an airtight container.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Linguistics: connecting words which express a condition

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Linguistics: connecting words which express a contrast

if conjunction (WHETHER)

used to introduce a clause, often in indirect speech, that shows two or more possibilities:

Mrs. Kramer called half an hour ago to ask if her cake was ready.

I don't care if he likes it or not - I'm coming!

I was wondering if you'd like to come to the movies with me this evening?

Compare

whether

More examples

I need to see if my roommate has paid those bills yet.
We asked if the computer could access the internet.
You could always call Susie and see if she might babysit.
I asked if she'd like to come out with us tonight.
I couldn't find the station, so I asked someone if they could direct me.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Linguistics: connecting words which express a condition

if conjunction (REQUEST)

used when you want to make a polite request or remark:

If you'd like to take a seat, Mr. Chang will be with you in a moment.

Would you mind if I open/opened (= can I open) the window?

There are, if you don't mind me saying so, one or two problems with this plan.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Linguistics: connecting words which express a condition

Grammar

Should you (Should with inversion)

In formal situations, we can use should + subject (s) + verb (v) instead of if: …

Had you (Had with inversion)

In formal situations, we can use had + subject + verb instead of if in third conditional sentences: …

In formal situations, we can use if + were to when we talk about things that might happen but which we think are unlikely: …

As long as, so long as, providing, etc.

Sometimes we need to impose specific conditions or set limits on a situation. In these cases, conditional clauses can begin with phrases such as as long as, so long as, only if, on condition that, providing (that), provided (that). …

Or and otherwise

We often use or and otherwise with conditional meanings: …

Supposing

Supposing may be used with a conditional meaning. It can be used in first, second or third conditional sentences. The speaker invites the listener to imagine a situation: …

Conditionals: typical errors

…

Conditionals

…

Conditionals: imagined situations

Conditional sentences consider imagined or uncertain situations and the possible results of these situations. The most common types of conditional sentences involve if: …

Conditional sentences

Conditional sentences consist of a conditional clause and a main clause: …

Order of clauses

Conditional clauses usually come before main clauses but they may also come after them: …

Verb forms in the conditional clause

The verb in the conditional clause may be in the simple form or the continuous form, depending on the meaning: …

Conditionals: if

…

Imagined conditions

There are different types of conditions. Some are possible or likely, others are unlikely, and others are impossible: …

Imagined conditions: the first conditional

We use the first conditional to talk about the result of an imagined future situation, when we believe the imagined situation is quite likely: …

Imagined conditions: the second conditional

We use the second conditional to talk about the possible result of an imagined situation in the present or future. We say what the conditions must be for the present or future situation to be different. …

First and second conditional compared

When we use the first conditional, we think the imagined situation is more likely to happen than when we use the second conditional. …

Imagined conditions: the third conditional

We use the third conditional when we imagine a different past, where something did or did not happen, and we imagine a different result: …

Real conditionals

Some conditions seem more real to us than others. Real conditionals refer to things that are true, that have happened, or are very likely to happen: …

Types of conditional: summary

The table shows how the main types of conditionals relate to one another. …

If + should

We can use if with should to refer to events which might happen by chance or by accident: …

Conditional clauses with will or would

Will and would can be used in conditional clauses, either with the meaning of ‘being willing to do something’, or to refer to later results: …

Mixed conditionals

Often, things that did or did not happen in the past have results which continue or are still important in the present. We can emphasise this by using if with a past perfect verb, and would in the main clause. …

Conditionals in speaking

…

Conditionals: other expressions (unless, should, as long as)

…

Unless

Conditional clauses can begin with unless. Unless means something similar to ‘if … not’ or ‘except if’. …

If is a conjunction. …

If or when?

We use if to introduce a possible or unreal situation or condition. We use when to refer to the time of a future situation or condition that we are certain of: …

If: conditions

We often use if to introduce possible or impossible situations or conditions and their results. The situations or conditions can be real, imagined or uncertain: …

If possible, if necessary

We can sometimes leave words out after if to form fixed expressions: …

If so, if not

We use so or not after if when it is obvious what we are referring to: …

Even if

We can use even if to mean if when talking about surprising or extreme situations: …

If: reporting questions

We use if to introduce reported yes-no questions and questions with or. …

If and politeness

In speaking, we often use if to introduce a polite request. If is usually followed by modal verbs will, would, can or could when it is used to be polite: …

When or if?

We use when to refer to a future situation or condition that we are certain of, whereas we use if to introduce a possible or unreal situation. …

Whether not if

We use whether and not if after prepositions: …

I doubt if, I don’t know whether

We use if or whether to introduce clauses after verbs of doubting: …

If, whether: typical errors

[talking about a trip to Australia for a year] …

If or whether?

…

If and whether: indirect questions

We can use if or whether to report indirect yes-no questions and questions with or. If is more common than whether: …

Idioms

if and when
if anything
if I were you
if need be
if you will

noun [ C usually singular ]

informal

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/ɪf/ uk

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/ɪf/

something that is not certain or not yet decided:

There's a big if hanging over the project (= it is uncertain whether the project will happen).

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Suspecting & questioning

See more results »

Idiom

no ifs, ands, or buts

(Definition of if from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

if | Intermediate English

conjunction

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/ɪf/

if conjunction (IN THAT SITUATION)

used to say that a particular thing can or will happen when, only when, or after something else happens or becomes true:

We’ll have the party in the backyard if the weather’s good.

If anyone calls for me, just say I’ll be back at 4 o’clock.

Would you mind if I opened the window (= May I open it)?

If is also used to talk about the amount or degree of something:

This time of year we get little, if any, rain (= almost none).

If can mean when:

If I don’t have a cup of coffee in the morning, I’m useless.

If can also mean in case it is true that:

I’m sorry if I’ve offended you.

if it weren't for

When you say if it weren't for or (also if it hadn't been for)something, you mean if it were not true or had not happened, the situation would be different:

If it weren’t for your help, we would never have finished in time.

if conjunction (WHETHER)

(used to introduce a clause, often when reporting what someone else said) whether:

Mrs. Kramer called to ask if her cake was ready.

Idioms

if all else fails
if and when
if I were you
if need be
if only
if the worst comes to the worst
if you will

noun [ C ]

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/ɪf/

if noun [C] (UNCERTAIN SITUATION)

something that is not yet certain or not yet decided:

The plan contains a lot of ifs.

(Definition of if from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of if

in Chinese (Traditional)

in Japanese

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in French

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in Arabic

in Czech

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in Indonesian

in Thai

in Vietnamese

in Polish

in Malay

in German

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in Spanish

在那種情況下, 假如，如果, 雖然，即使…

もし～ならば（条件を表す）, もし～ならば（可能性を表す）, ～するかどうか…

...sa/se ... sa/se, eğer, şayet…

si, chaque fois que, bien que…

si, quan…

إذا, لَوْ, فيْما إذا…

jestliže, kdykoli, i když…

hvis, men, om…

kalau, seandainya, setiap kali…

ถ้า, ถ้าหากว่า, เมื่อไรก็ตาม…

nếu, giả sử, bất cứ khi nào…

jeśli, jeżeli, jak…

kalau, seandainya, setiap kali…

wenn, immer wenn, wenn auch…

hvis, dersom, om…

(만약)-면, -면, -지…

se…

在那种情况下, 假如，如果, 虽然，即使…

se, anche se…

если, ли, каждый раз когда…

si, cuando, en el caso de que…

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if all else fails idiom

if and when idiom

if anything idiom

if at first you don't succeed, try, try again idiom

Meaning of if in English

if conjunction (IN THAT SITUATION)

if conjunction (WHETHER)

if conjunction (REQUEST)

Grammar

Idioms

Idiom

if | Intermediate English

if conjunction (IN THAT SITUATION)

if conjunction (WHETHER)

Idioms

if noun [C] (UNCERTAIN SITUATION)

Translations of if

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