IF | Meaning, Definition In Cambridge English Dictionary

Meaning of if in English ifconjunction uk /ɪf/ us /ɪf/

if conjunction (IN THAT SITUATION)

Add to word list Add to word list A2 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.if not 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.even if 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: even if They're great kids, even if they can be demanding.literary It was a hot, if windy day. B1 every time: If water is heated to 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.

• 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.

Linguistics: connecting words which express a condition

• assuming
• at
• at the risk of doing something idiom
• by
• ceteris paribus
• even
• granted
• lest
• long
• provided
• providing
• risk
• suppose
• unless
• whether

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

Linguistics: connecting words which express a contrast

if conjunction (WHETHER)

B1 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 cinema with me this evening? Compare whether

• I must see if my flatmate 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.

Linguistics: connecting words which express a condition

• assuming
• at
• at the risk of doing something idiom
• by
• ceteris paribus
• even
• granted
• lest
• long
• provided
• providing
• risk
• suppose
• unless
• whether

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. Linguistics: connecting words which express a condition

• assuming
• at
• at the risk of doing something idiom
• by
• ceteris paribus
• even
• granted
• lest
• long
• provided
• providing
• risk
• suppose
• unless
• whether

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: … If + were toIn 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 otherwiseWe often use or and otherwise with conditional meanings: … SupposingSupposing 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 errorsWe don’t use will and would in the conditional clause: … ConditionalsConditional sentences consider imagined or uncertain situations and the possible results of these situations. The most common types of conditional sentences involve if: … Conditionals: imagined situationsConditional sentences consider imagined or uncertain situations and the possible results of these situations. The most common types of conditional sentences involve if: … Conditional sentencesConditional sentences consist of a conditional clause and a main clause: … Order of clausesConditional clauses usually come before main clauses but they may also come after them: … Verb forms in the conditional clauseThe verb in the conditional clause may be in the simple form or the continuous form, depending on the meaning: … Conditionals: ifThere are different types of conditions. Some are possible or likely, others are unlikely, and others are impossible: … Imagined conditionsThere are different types of conditions. Some are possible or likely, others are unlikely, and others are impossible: … Imagined conditions: the first conditionalWe 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 conditionalWe 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 comparedWhen 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 conditionalWe use the third conditional when we imagine a different past, where something did or did not happen, and we imagine a different result: … Real conditionalsSome 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: summaryThe table shows how the main types of conditionals relate to one another. … If + shouldWe can use if with should to refer to events which might happen by chance or by accident: … Conditional clauses with will or wouldWill 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 conditionalsOften, 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 speakingIn speaking, we often use if-clauses without main clauses, especially when asking people politely to do things. If is usually followed by will, would, can or could when it is used to be polite: … Conditionals: other expressions (unless, should, as long as)Conditional clauses can begin with unless. Unless means something similar to ‘if … not’ or ‘except if’. … UnlessConditional clauses can begin with unless. Unless means something similar to ‘if … not’ or ‘except if’. … IfIf 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: conditionsWe 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 necessaryWe can sometimes leave words out after if to form fixed expressions: … If so, if notWe use so or not after if when it is obvious what we are referring to: … Even ifWe can use even if to mean if when talking about surprising or extreme situations: … If: reporting questionsWe use if to introduce reported yes-no questions and questions with or. … If and politenessIn 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 ifWe use whether and not if after prepositions: … I doubt if, I don’t know whetherWe use if or whether to introduce clauses after verbs of doubting: … If, whether: typical errorsWe use whether, not if, before to-infinitives: … If or whether? … If and whether: indirect questionsWe 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 ifnoun [ C usually singular ]   informal uk /ɪf/ us /ɪf/ something that is not certain or not yet decided: big if There's a big if hanging over the project (= it is uncertain whether the project will happen). Suspecting & questioning

• ask questions of someone/something idiom
• challengingly
• cynic
• cynical about someone/something
• cynically
• cynicism
• doubt
• interrogate
• query
• reservation
• reserve
• sceptic
• sceptical
• sceptically
• scepticism
• skeptical
• skeptically
• suspect
• suspected
• suspiciously

See more results »

Idiom

no ifs or buts (Definition of if from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

if | American Dictionary

ifconjunction us /ɪf/

if conjunction (IN THAT SITUATION)

Add to word list Add to word list 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 ifnoun [ C ] us /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) What is the pronunciation of if?

Translations of if

in Chinese (Traditional) 在那種情況下, 假如，如果, 雖然，即使… See more in Chinese (Simplified) 在那种情况下, 假如，如果, 虽然，即使… See more in Spanish si, aunque, cuando… See more in Portuguese se… See more in Marathi in Japanese in Turkish in French in Catalan in Dutch in Tamil in Hindi in Gujarati in Danish in Swedish in Malay in German in Norwegian in Urdu in Ukrainian in Telugu in Bengali in Czech in Indonesian in Thai in Vietnamese in Polish in Korean in Italian जर, जरी, नेहमी… See more 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… See more ...sa/se ... sa/se, eğer, şayet… See more si, chaque fois que, bien que… See more si, quan… See more als, indien, gesteld dat… See more ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட விஷயம் வேறு ஏதாவது நடக்கும் அல்லது உண்மையாகிவிட்ட பிறகுதான் நடக்கும் அல்லது நடக்கும் என்று சொல்லப் பயன்படுகிறது, என்றாலும், ஒவ்வொரு முறையும்… See more यदि, अगर, किसी अन्य चीज़ के होने या सत्य होने के बाद कुछ विशेष हो सकता है या होगा ऐसा दर्शाने के लिए प्रयुक्त… See more જો, તો, તેમ છતાં… See more hvis, men, om… See more om, ifall, om än… See more kalau, seandainya, setiap kali… See more wenn, immer wenn, wenn auch… See more hvis, dersom, om… See more اگر, اگرچہ, بھلےہی… See more якщо, якби, коли б… See more అయినప్పటికీ, ప్రతిసారి ప్రతిసారి, "ఒకవేళ అది నిజమే అయితే" అనే అర్థంలో వాడుతారు… See more যদি, কোনো একটি নির্দিষ্ট বস্তু ঘটতে পারে বা ঘটে কেবল অন্য কোনোকিছু ঘটার পরে বা সত্যি হওয়ার পরে বোঝাতে ব্যবহৃত অভিব্যক্তি, যদিও… See more jestliže, kdykoli, i když… See more kalau, seandainya, setiap kali… See more ถ้า, ถ้าหากว่า, เมื่อไรก็ตาม… See more nếu, giả sử, bất cứ khi nào… See more jeśli, jeżeli, jak… See more (만약)-면, -면, -지… See more se, anche se… See more Need a translator?

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idyllically IEA IED IELTS if if all else fails phrase if and when idiom if anything idiom if at first you don't succeed, try, try again idiom {{#randomImageQuizHook.filename}} {{#randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} Test your vocabulary with our fun image quizzes Try a quiz now {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{^randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.filename}}

More meanings of if

• if ever
• what-if
• look as if
• best-if-used-by-date
• if all else fails idiom
• if and when idiom
• if I were you idiom

See all meanings

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

See all idioms and phrases

Word of the Day

mystery

UK /ˈmɪs.tər.i/ US /ˈmɪs.tɚ.i/

something strange or not known that has not yet been explained or understood

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• English   
  • Conjunction 
    • if (IN THAT SITUATION)
    • if (WHETHER)
    • if (REQUEST)
  Noun
• American   
  • Conjunction 
    • if (IN THAT SITUATION)
    • if it weren't for
    • if (WHETHER)
  • Noun 
    • if (UNCERTAIN SITUATION)

• Translations
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