Grammar: How to use IF & WHETHER properly

Hi again. Welcome back to www.engvid.com. My name's Adam. Welcome again. Today's lesson

嗨，欢迎来到www.engvid.com.我是Adam,再次欢迎。今天的课程

is a grammar lesson, and this is a question that I am asked often. What is the difference

是语法课，这也是我经常问的一个问题。”if”和”whether”有什么区别？

between "if" and "whether"? Okay? It's a very good question. It's pretty simple, straightforward,

好，这是一个非常好的问题。坦白的说，它非常简单。

but we're going to look at both of these in relation to each other.

但是我们要看一下它们在这些情况下各自有哪些联系

First of all, let's make sure everybody understands "whether" is not spelled the same as "weather",

首先，让我们确保每个人都明白”whether”和”weather”的拼法是不一样的，

like sunny, raining. This is about rain, sun, snow, wind, temperature; this is similar to

就像晴天，雨天。这是关于雨，太阳，雪，风，温度；这跟”if”是相似的，

"if", it's about having choices. Okay?

if是与选择相关的。好的？

So, in some situations, "if" and "whether" are interchangeable, but the best way to not

所以，在某些情况下，”if”和”whether”是可以互换使用的，但为了在文章中不

make a mistake, not to mix them up in the wrong context is to always use "if" for conditionals;

犯错误，不把他们混合在一起最好的方式是用”if”来表示条件；

always use "whether" when you're talking about two alternatives, two choices. Okay? You'll

当你谈论两个选项，两个选择的时候，通常用”whether”。好的。你将

see what I mean.

明白我说的是什么意思。

When they can be interchanged. First of all, when they are used as noun clauses, means

当它们可以互换时。首先，当它们被用作名词时，意味着

they can be the object or the subject of a sentence, they can mean the same thing. But

它们可以作为句子的宾语或主语，它们可以表达一样的东西。但是

again, avoid using them the same if you don't want to make mistakes. "Do you know if Dan

再一次，如果你不想犯错误，不要同样地使用它们。”Do you know if Dan

is coming?" Do you know what? If Dan is coming. "Do you know whether Dan is coming?" In this

s coming”你知道什么？Dan是否要来。 "Do you know whether Dan is coming?"在这

case, they basically mean the same thing. Yes or no: is he coming or is he not coming?

种情况下，它们基本上意味着同样的事情。是或不是；他要来吗或他不会来吗？

You could add the "or not?" here: "Do you know whether Dan is coming or not?" But the

你可以把 "or not?"加在这里； "Do you know whether Dan is coming or not?但是

word "whether" already gives you a choice between yes or no in this particular case,

在这种特定的情况下， "whether" 已经在是或不是中给出了选择。

so this is not necessary. It's understood. Okay?

所以这是不需要的。这是约定俗成的。好的

Now, let's look at these two sentences: "I don't know if the exam is on Friday or Saturday.",

现在，让我们来看一下这两个句子:"I don't know if the exam is on Friday or Saturday."

"I don't know whether the exam is on Friday or Saturday." So here, we're looking directly

"I don't know whether the exam is on Friday or Saturday." 在这里，我们直接看出了

at a choice. When I use "whether": "I don't know whether the exam is on Friday or Saturday."

一个选择。当我使用 "whether":我不知道这个测试是在星期五还是星期六

So again, you have two options when you look at "whether". Friday is one option, Saturday

所以，再一次。当你学习 "whether"的时候你有两个选择，星期五是一个选择，星期六

is another option. The problem here is if you use "if", "if" is not limited to two options.

是另一个选择。这里有一个问题是当你使用 "if"时，"if"不仅仅只有两个选择。

"I don't know if the exam is on Friday or Saturday, or if it's next week sometime."

我不知道测试是星期五或是星期六或下周的什么时间。

So here, although they seem to mean the same thing, the "if" gives you other options that

所以，这里，尽管他们意味着同样的事情， "if" 给出了其他的选择

the "whether" doesn't. "Whether": one, two. "If": one, two, or something completely different.

"whether"却不会， "Whether"可以有一个，两个选择。"If":一个，两个，或其他完全不同的东西。

So if you want to avoid making this mistake, use "whether" for the choices, use... Save

所以如果你想避免犯错，用 "whether" 来表示选择，用

"if" for when you have your conditional sentence. Now, what is a conditional sentence? A conditional

"if"当你有条件语句时。现在，条件语句是什么？一个条件

sentence is using "if" as an adverb clause. There's a condition. If "A" happens, "B" will

语句是用if引导的状语从句。如果A发生，则B

happen. Okay? One thing needs to happen for the second thing to happen, that's the condition.

发生。okay?一件事情的发生需要另一件事情的发生，这就是条件。

So: "Let me know", oh, sorry. I forgot this word, here. "Let me know if you're coming.",

"Let me know"，我忘记了这里的一个词。"Let me know if you're coming."

"Let me know whether you're coming." In this case, they're both okay. "Let me know whether

Let me know whether you're coming." 这两个句子都是可以的。"Let me know whether

you're coming or not."

you're coming or not."

Now, what's the difference between: "Let me know if you're coming", "Let me know whether

现在，这三个句子有什么不同： "Let me know if you're coming", "Let me know whether

you're coming or not"? If you are coming, yes, let me know. This is a conditional. If

you're coming or not"?如果你要来，通知我。这是一个条件。如果

this is true, do this. "Let me know whether you're coming or not." If you're coming, let

这是真的，做它。如果你要来的话，通

me know; if you're not coming, let me know. So in this case, both apply. Okay? So, again,

知我;如果你不来的话，通知我。所以这种情况下，两者都可以。Okay?所以，再一次

use this to... The condition. This is the condition, this is the result. Here, this

这种情况用于条件。这是条件，这是结果。这里，无论如何，这是

is going to happen regardless. So we're going to look at this in a second in more detail.

将要发生的。 我们接下来看一下更多的细节。

Okay?

"I'll come over if you want me to." If you want it, I will do it; if you don't want it,

"I'll come over if you want me to."如果你想要的话，我将要去做它；如果你不想要的话

I will not do it. So this is the condition. If you want me to, I'll come over. This is

我将不会做。所以这是一个条件。如果你想的话，我将顺便过去。这是

the condition, this is the result. So your best option is to always use "if" with conditionals,

条件，这是结果。所以你最好的选择是用"if"来描述条件，

use "whether" to talk about two alternatives.

用 "whether" 来谈论两个选择。

Now, the other common use of "whether" is to mean "regardless". Doesn't matter what

现在， "whether"另一个普遍的用法是"regardless"。不管

happens, regardless of the situation, here's what I want you to do. "I'm coming over whether

发生了什么，无论是什么情况，这是我想让你做的。我将会过来，无论

you like it or not." Okay. "Whether you like it or not" means if you like it, I'm coming

你喜欢或是不喜欢。 Okay."Whether you like it or not"意思是如果你同意，我会过来，

over; if you don't like it, too bad, I'm coming over. So this verb is going to happen regardless

如果你不同意，太糟糕，我也会过来。所以这个动词是无论是什么情况

of this situation. Okay? So that's when we must also use the "or not". Remember here,

我都会过来。 Okay? 所以这就是我们必须使用 "or not"的时候。记住这点，

I said "or not" can come out because it's understood here. Here are your two options.

我说这里不需要 "or not" 因为这是约定俗成的，这是两个选择。

Here, it's not about options. Here, it's about saying something is regardless. Doesn't matter

这里，它不是关于选择。这里谈论的是无论如何。无论

what you like, what you don't like - I'm coming over. Okay? "I'm coming over if you like it",

你喜欢还是不喜欢，我将会过去。Okay? "I'm coming over if you like it"

it means: you like it, I'm coming; you don't like it, I'm not coming. Okay?

意思是：如果你喜欢，我将过去，你不喜欢，我将不会过去。Okay?

So: "whether", to talk about regardless, you must have the "or not". To give the options,

所以，"whether"来描述regardless时，你必须有"or not"。当表示给出选择时，

you don't need the "or not". If, in a noun clause-means this situation-is the object

你不需要 "or not"如果一个名词性从句是

of "know". Know what? If he is coming. Yes or no. Here, it's a conditional. So first

"know"的宾语。知道什么？如果他来的话，是或否。这里，这是一个条件。所以

of all, you must understand: is it a noun clause object or is it an adverb clause condition?

首先，你必须理解：它是名词性从句的宾语还是状语从句的条件？

So, to avoid making mistakes, especially in written English: use "if" for conditionals,

所以，为了避免犯错误，尤其是书面英语；用 "if" 来表示条件

use "whether" for alternatives or to mean "regardless". Okay? It's a little bit tricky,

用 "whether"来表示选择或表示"regardless"。Okay?它有点复杂，

but when you see more examples, it will become much clearer.

但是当你看到很多的例子，它将会变得更简单点。

So if you want to see more examples, come to www.engvid.com. There's a quiz there that

如果你想看跟多的例子，来www.engvid.com.那有一个习题来

will test your understanding of this. Ask any questions you have on the comments section.

测试你对这些内容的理解。如果有问题的话可以在评论区提出来。

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