если

Russian Edit

Etymology Edit

Borrowed from Old Ruthenian если, есьли, естли (esli, esʹli, estli) around XVI, from Old Polish jestli, jesli.^[1]^[2]

Pronunciation Edit

audio (file)
IPA^(key): [ˈjes⁽ʲ⁾lʲɪ]

Conjunction Edit

е́сли • (jésli)

if, in case
Synonyms: е́жели (jéželi), ко́ли (kóli), коль (kolʹ), когда́ (kogdá)

Я бы пошёл в кино́, е́сли бы у меня́ бы́ло вре́мя.
Ja by pošól v kinó, jésli by u menjá býlo vrémja.
I would have gone to the cinema if I had had time.

а е́сли ― a jésli ― if ever

е́сли и ― jésli i ― even if

е́сли то́лько ― jésli tólʹko ― only if

Usage notes Edit

In Russian, the conjunction е́сли (jésli) can only be used to express a condition or hypothetical situation, while the conjunction ли (li) is used to express the meaning of whether. This is different from English, where if can be used for both.

Related terms Edit

е́сли бы (jésli by)

References Edit

^ Šanskij, N. M. (2004), “если”, in Školʹnyj etimologičeskij slovarʹ russkovo jazyka [School Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Drofa
^ Viktor Vinogradov ((Can we date this quote?))“если”, in История слов

[1] Šanskij, N. M. (2004), “если”, in Školʹnyj etimologičeskij slovarʹ russkovo jazyka [School Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Drofa

[2] Viktor Vinogradov ((Can we date this quote?))“если”, in История слов

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