How to use 假使…就
假使 + hypothetical condition，subject + 就 + consequence
假使 introduces a hypothetical condition for the listener to consider. The following clause states what would happen or what someone would do if that condition applied. It is relatively formal and often appears in writing, although a strict ban on spoken use would be too strong. The condition can be realistic or imagined, with context setting its likelihood and time reference.
Place 假使 before the condition and 就 before the consequence when the paired form is used. The subjects can differ between clauses, so make each participant clear. As with other conditional expressions, the sentence does not assert that the first event will occur. It explores the consequence under that assumption rather than reporting the condition as an established fact.
Examples with pinyin and English
假使明天下雨，我就不去上班了。
If it rains tomorrow, then I'm not going to work.
假使你同意，我们立马签合同。
If you agree, then we should sign the contract right away.
假使我们能找到更多的赞助，我们就可以帮助更多的孩子。
If we find even more sponsors, then we can help even more children.
假使你满意，我们会很开心。
If you are satisfied, we will be happy.
What to remember
- Use 假使 to frame a hypothetical assumption.
- Put 就 with its consequence.
- Keep the formality appropriate to the surrounding language.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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