conditional
conditional — 形容詞
1. describing a type of sentence that talks about a situation needing to happen fir
條件句的
以if或unless開頭的句子結構
describing a type of sentence that talks about a situation needing to happen first before another situation can be true. Such sentences commonly use the word 'if' or 'unless' to connect the two parts.
In English class today, the teacher asked everyone to write five conditional sentences beginning with 'if'.
今天的英文課上，老師要大家寫五個以 if 開頭的條件句。
if-clause opening a conditional sentence
Feng struggled to identify the correct verb tense in the second part of each conditional clause on the test.
Feng 在考試時很難判斷每個條件子句後半部分應該用什麼動詞時態。
Maeve explained to her classmates that a conditional sentence with 'unless' works the same way as one with 'if not'.
Maeve 向同學解釋，用 unless 的條件句和用 if not 的句子意思是一樣的。
The grammar book shows that zero conditional describes general truths, while the first conditional talks about real future possibilities.
文法書說明，零條件句描述普遍真理，而第一條件句則談論未來可能發生的情況。
- hypothetical
focuses on unreal or imaginary situations rather than the structural pattern of if-sentences
- dependent
more general; any kind of reliance, not just grammatical
- independent
a clause that can stand alone without relying on another clause
用法筆記
Learners often confuse the verb tenses across different conditional types. The zero conditional uses the present tense in both parts; the first conditional uses the present tense after 'if' and 'will' in the main clause.
常見錯誤
2. relating to how a verb changes its form when it is used to show that one action
條件語氣的
動詞用於假設情況的語法形式
relating to how a verb changes its form when it is used to show that one action or event depends on another action or event happening first.
In French, the conditional verb form is often used when talking about what you would do under different circumstances.
法文的條件語氣動詞形式常用來談論在不同情況下你會做什麼事。
conditional verb form expressing hypothetical actions
Henrik noticed that the conditional ending in Italian sounds quite similar to the future tense ending.
Henrik 發現義大利文的條件語氣字尾和未來式字尾聽起來相當相似。
The Spanish conditional form of 'to go' is 'iría', which means 'would go' in English.
西班牙文「去」的條件式是 iría，在英文中意思是「would go」。
Darius had trouble remembering when to use the conditional form instead of the subjunctive in hypothetical statements.
Darius 在記不清假設句中該用條件語氣還是虛擬語氣時遇到了困難。
- subjunctive
a different verb mood; subjunctive expresses wishes or unreal situations, while conditional expresses dependence
- hypothetical
broader term covering any verb form used in unreal scenarios
- indicative
the verb form used to state facts, not hypotheticals
用法筆記
In English, the conditional verb form is expressed using auxiliary verbs like 'would', 'could', or 'might' rather than a special verb ending. This differs from Romance languages, where verbs have dedicated conditional endings.
常見錯誤
3. describing an offer, contract, or promise that only becomes valid after a certai
附條件的
須先滿足某條件才生效的
describing an offer, contract, or promise that only becomes valid after a certain requirement has been met or a specific action has been taken.
The university sent Maeve a conditional offer that required her final exam grades to stay above a certain level.
那所大學寄給 Maeve 一份附條件的入學通知，要求她期末成績維持在一定標準以上。
conditional university offer pending grades
The seller made a conditional agreement to reduce the price if the buyer paid the full amount within one week.
賣方提出了一項附條件的協議，如果買方在一週內付清全額就可降價。
Kemi received a conditional job offer that depended on her passing a background check and a medical examination.
Kemi 收到了一份附條件的聘書，前提是她必須通過背景調查和體檢。
The bank gave them a conditional loan approval, subject to a satisfactory inspection of the property.
銀行核准了一筆附條件的貸款，但須先對該房產進行滿意的鑑價。
- provisional
temporary until conditions are met; used more for arrangements than offers
- contingent
formal synonym emphasising that something depends entirely on a future event
- unconditional
not subject to any conditions; absolute and final
- absolute
without any restrictions or requirements
用法筆記
Often used in formal or business contexts. The condition is typically introduced with phrases like 'subject to', 'pending', 'if', or 'provided that'.
常見錯誤
conditional — 名詞
1. a word, phrase, or sentence structure that is used to show that one thing relies
條件句
表達條件關係的語法用語
a word, phrase, or sentence structure that is used to show that one thing relies on another happening first. In grammar lessons, conditionals are often grouped as first, second, or third types.
In the grammar exercise, students had to identify each conditional and label it as first, second, or third type.
在文法練習中，學生必須找出每個條件句並歸類為第一型、第二型或第三型。
classifying conditionals by type
Yael memorised the second conditional pattern: 'if' with past simple, then 'would' with the base verb.
Yael 發現記住第二條件句的模式很有幫助：if 加過去簡單式，再接 would 加原形動詞。
The teacher explained that a mixed conditional combines elements from different conditional types within one sentence.
老師解釋說，混合條件句是在一個句子裡結合了不同類型的條件句結構。
Zuri wrote a short paragraph using only third conditionals to talk about how history might have been different.
Zuri 只用第三條件句寫了一小段文章，討論歷史可能會如何不同。
- if-clause
a narrower term focusing specifically on the clause beginning with 'if'
- conditional clause
a more explicit term for the subordinate clause within a conditional sentence
用法筆記
In English grammar teaching, the term 'conditional' usually refers to one of four patterns: zero, first, second, and third. Each pattern uses a specific combination of verb tenses.
2. a rule, requirement, or situation that must be accepted or taken care of before
條件；限制
必須先滿足的條件或要求
a rule, requirement, or situation that must be accepted or taken care of before something else can happen or be agreed upon.
The contract contained several conditionals that had to be met before the partnership could begin.
合約中包含了幾項必須先滿足的條件，合作關係才能展開。
conditionals in a contract as requirements
Before signing the lease, Eric checked every conditional written in the fine print of the document.
在簽署租約之前，Eric 仔細檢查了文件細則中的每一項條件。
Tara agreed to the new role with one conditional: her salary and office must remain unchanged.
Tara 同意接手新職位，但前提是薪資和辦公室維持不變。
The bank manager listed several conditionals that the small business must fulfil before receiving the loan funds.
銀行經理列出幾項這家小公司必須達成的條件，才能獲得貸款資金。
- stipulation
a specific condition formally stated in an agreement
- provision
a clause in a legal document that states a condition or requirement
用法筆記
This sense is more formal and typically appears in legal or business writing. It is less common in everyday conversation; people more often use 'condition' or 'requirement' instead.