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Chinese grammar lessons › Level B1 › Chinese conjunctions: because, although, if

只要…就 and 只有…才: as long as, only if

只要 X 就 Y: X is enough. 只有 X 才 Y: X is the one thing that works.

Part of the free B1 Chinese course (about HSK 4). Examples are in Simplified characters, with pinyin only for some new or hard words; press the speaker to hear one with your device's Chinese voice.

Two kinds of condition

PatternEnglishLogic
只要 (zhǐyào) X，就 Yas long as X, YX is enough for Y
只有 (zhǐyǒu) X，才 Yonly if X, YX is required for Y; nothing else will do

The pairs are fixed: 只要 goes with 就, 只有 goes with 才. Both 就 and 才 come after the subject of the second half.

只要…就: as long as

  • 只要你努力，就一定能学好中文。As long as you work hard, you're sure to master Chinese.
  • 只要有时间，我就去看你。As long as I have time, I'll come and see you.
  • 只要天气好，我们就去海边。As long as the weather is good, we'll go to the seaside.

只有…才: only if

  • 只有多练习，才能说得流利。(liúlì)Only with lots of practice can you speak fluently.
  • 只有周末，他才有空。He's only free at the weekend.

只有 can also stand before a noun: "only this one".

  • 只有他才知道密码。(mìmǎ)Only he knows the password.

Ask yourself: is the condition enough (只要…就) or the only way (只有…才)? "As long as you ask, he'll help" vs "He'll only help if you ask".

Common mistakes

  • 只要你努力，才能成功。 → 只要…就 or 只有…才; don't mix the pairs.
  • 只有你来，我就高兴。 → 只有你来，我才高兴 (only if you come) or 只要你来，我就高兴 (as long as you come).
  • 只要下雨，就我们不去。 → 只要下雨，我们就不去。就 goes after the subject.
  • 只他知道。 → 只有他知道。Before a noun or pronoun, "only" is 只有.

Practice

  1. 只要你喜欢，我们_____买。
    As long as you like it, we'll buy it.
    Options: 就 · 才 · 都
    Show the answer

    就 — 只要 pairs with 就.

  2. 只有通过考试，_____能拿到证书。
    You only get the certificate if you pass the exam. (证书 zhèngshū)
    Options: 才 · 就 · 都
    Show the answer

    才 — 只有 pairs with 才.

  3. _____你同意，我们就开始。
    As long as you agree, we'll start.
    Options: 只要 · 只有 · 不但
    Show the answer

    只要 — 'As long as' with 就 = 只要.

  4. _____医生才能开这种药。
    Only a doctor can prescribe this medicine.
    Options: 只有 · 只要 · 连
    Show the answer

    只有 — Only (this person and nobody else) + 才 = 只有.

In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions you can answer in characters or pinyin. It then comes back for review on later days, until you've answered it correctly on three separate days.
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