的話

See also: 的话

Chinese

		really and truly; aim; clear really and truly; aim; clear; (possessive, modifying, or descriptive particle); of	spoken words; speech; dialect spoken words; speech; dialect; language; talk; conversation; what someone said
trad. (的話)		的	話
simp. (的话)		的	话

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): dehuà

(Zhuyin): ˙ㄉㄜㄏㄨㄚˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): dik¹ waa⁶ / dik¹ waa^6-2
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): ê-ōe

(Teochew, Peng'im): di¹ uê⁷

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: dehuà
  - Zhuyin: ˙ㄉㄜㄏㄨㄚˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: de̊huà
  - Wade–Giles: tê⁵-hua⁴
  - Yale: de-hwà
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: .dehuah
  - Palladius: дэхуа (dɛxua)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /d̥ə xu̯ä⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: dik¹ waa⁶ / dik¹ waa^6-2
  - Yale: dīk wah / dīk wá
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dik⁷ waa⁶ / dik⁷ waa^6-2
  - Guangdong Romanization: dig¹ wa⁶ / dig¹ wa^6-2
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tɪk̚⁵ waː²²/, /tɪk̚⁵ waː²²⁻³⁵/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ê-ōe
  - Tâi-lô: ê-uē
  - Phofsit Daibuun: e'oe
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /e²³⁻³³ ue³³/
  - IPA (Taipei): /e²⁴⁻¹¹ ue³³/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: di¹ uê⁷
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ti uē
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ti³³⁻²³ ue¹¹/

Particle

的話

particle put at the end of a conditional clause
如果沒有人捐助的話，這個小孩就會永遠失明。 [MSC, trad.]
如果没有人捐助的话，这个小孩就会永远失明。 [MSC, simp.]
Rúguǒ méiyǒu rén juānzhù dehuà, zhè ge xiǎohái jiù huì yǒngyuǎn shīmíng. [Pinyin]
If no one offers assistance this kid will become permanently blind.

要是考試不及格的話，怎麼辦？ [MSC, trad.]
要是考试不及格的话，怎么办？ [MSC, simp.]
Yàoshi kǎoshì bù jígé dehuà, zěnme bàn? [Pinyin]
If I don't pass my exams, what do I do?

你今天出去的話，記得鎖上前門。 [MSC, trad.]
你今天出去的话，记得锁上前门。 [MSC, simp.]
Nǐ jīntiān chūqù dehuà, jìde suǒshàng qiánmén. [Pinyin]
If you go out today remember to lock the front door.
- 2024, “拌拌咧 [Dust It Off]”, in 李竺芯 [Siri Lee] (lyrics), 李竺芯 [Siri Lee] and 台南歐力桑 [Uncle Tainan] (music), Suí 水, performed by 李竺芯 [Siri Lee]:
  
  若是按呢生　猶閣無法度放棄的話 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
  若是按呢生　犹阁无法度放弃的话 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]
  nā-sī án-né-siⁿ, iū-koh bô-hoat-tō͘ hòng-khì ê-ōe [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

As per examples above, 的話／的话 (dehuà) may be used with or without 如果 (rúguǒ) or 要是 (yàoshi) at the beginning of the sentence.

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 的話 (“(particle put at the end of a conditional clause)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		的話
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	的話
Northeastern Mandarin	Singapore	的話
Central Plains Mandarin	Xi'an	的話
Southwestern Mandarin	Guiyang	的話
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	的話
Cantonese	Guangzhou	嘅話
	Hong Kong	嘅話, 嘅
	Singapore (Guangfu)	嘅話
Hakka	Meixian	個話
Southern Min	Shantou	的話
Southern Min	Haifeng	個講
Wu	Shanghai	個閒話