How can I express that something happens if another condition is true? (Eng: "Subject ... but if ... subject ...")
Example:
I usually get up at six o'clock, but if I'm really tired, I sleep until eight.
我常起來六點，但是很累到八點睡覺。 （Can I write this?)
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I think 不过如果 is better in this case– AGamePlayerJan 27, 2018 at 11:45
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unless ... in which case ... 除非。。。在这种情况下。。。– user6065Jan 27, 2018 at 13:00
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“但如果……的话”：我一般六点起床，但如果太累了的话，也可能一直睡到八点。– tshFeb 13, 2018 at 3:57
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3 Answers
A literal translation to "但要是" is fine here.
I usually get up at six o'clock, but if I'm really tired, I sleep until eight.
我一般六点起床，但要是很累，我会睡到八点。
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2Not exactly never ... but seldom, because it looks a bit too verbose. Jan 27, 2018 at 11:18
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1@PetaspeedBeaver P.S. 到八点睡觉 means "go to bed/sleep at eight". To express "until" you need to use the structure here. Jan 27, 2018 at 11:20
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“但要是” is usually used in oral as well as “可要是”. “要是”=“要说”（to say）in this case.– Hao FUFeb 1, 2018 at 3:07
There are several ways to say this. Literal translations of "but if" works fine. That is, any combination of "but":
- 可是
- 但是
- 但
- 不過
Followed by "if":
- 如果
- 要是
我通常六點起床，但如果很累會睡到八點。
Although that's sufficient, a construction using the "的話" conditional particle sounds perhaps somewhat more natural to me. That is, you can use any of the but / but if options above, followed by your condition (being tired), and then 的話. For example:
我通常六點起床，但很累的話會睡到八點。
Note that with the particle, a separate "if" after the "but" is not necessary, but can be used nonetheless.
Just translate it word by word.
但 要是/但 如果/但 假如/不过 要是/不过 如果/etc. are all correct.
You can use 但是 or 但 as you like， both are correct. It just depend on how many syllables you want to say.
