Conjunctions: 或者、不过、但是、而且、如果、虽然、只要

Chinese grammar · HSK 2 · 连词 · By Carson 木林森

Paired connectors — both halves appear in ONE sentence: - 虽然...但是... = although...(but)... — 虽然 opens the concessive clause, 但是 introduces the contrasting result. - 如果... = if...

或者 huò zhě or 不过 bù guò only 但是 dàn shì but; however 而且 ér qiě (not only ...) but also 如果 rú guǒ if 虽然 suī rán although; even though (often used correlati… 只要 zhǐ yào if only

Single connectors — link two clauses without a partner word:
- 不过 = but/however — softer and more casual than 但是. It does NOT pair with a preceding 虽然.
- 而且 = moreover/and also — adds an extra point building on the first statement.
- 或者 = or — offers alternatives in a STATEMENT (not a question).

Common mistake: pairing 虽然 with 不过 instead of 但是 — 虽然...但是... is the fixed pattern; 不过 stands on its own.

Worked examples

Chinese	Pinyin	English	What it shows
你可以喝茶，或者喝水。	Nǐ kě yǐ hē chá, huò zhě hē shuǐ.	You can drink tea, or drink water.	或者 offers alternatives in a statement, not a question.
今天天气很热，不过我想去商店。	Jīn tiān tiān qì hěn rè, bú guò wǒ xiǎng qù shāng diàn.	It's hot today, but I want to go to the store.	不过 introduces a softer contrast than 但是 — no pairing word is needed before it.
虽然今天很热，但是我想去商店买水果。	Suī rán jīn tiān hěn rè, dàn shì wǒ xiǎng qù shāng diàn mǎi shuǐ guǒ.	Although it's hot today, I want to go to the store to buy fruit.	虽然 opens the concessive clause; 但是 introduces the contrasting result — both appear together in one sentence.
这本书很有意思，而且不难。	Zhè běn shū hěn yǒu yì si, ér qiě bù nán.	This book is very interesting, and moreover not difficult.	而且 adds an additional point building on the first statement.
如果你喜欢这本书，你可以买。	Rú guǒ nǐ xǐ huan zhè běn shū, nǐ kě yǐ mǎi.	If you like this book, you can buy it.	如果 introduces a condition; the result clause follows directly.
只要你喜欢，你可以每天来看书。	Zhǐ yào nǐ xǐ huan, nǐ kě yǐ měi tiān lái kàn shū.	As long as you like it, you can come read every day.	只要 stresses that the condition is sufficient on its own — a stronger claim than the softer 如果.

Produce this pattern without stopping to think about it. GraphChinese drills Conjunctions across 13 exercises and schedules the review that keeps it.

What you need first

Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.

Conjunctions

What this opens up

These patterns list Conjunctions among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.

The same pattern at other levels

Conjunctions — HSK 1

Conjunctions is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.

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