Definition

Conjunction: - Supposing, if: A literary conjunction used to introduce a hypothetical situation or condition, equivalent to "giả sử" or "nếu như" in modern Vietnamese. It expresses a supposition or assumption.

Usage Examples

• Conjunction:
  • Giá phỏng anh đến sớm hơn, chúng ta đã không bị lỡ chuyến tàu. (Supposing you had come earlier, we would not have missed the train.)
  • Giá phỏng trời không mưa, buổi dã ngoại sẽ rất tuyệt vời. (If it hadn't rained, the picnic would have been wonderful.)

Advanced Usage

• "Giá phỏng như": A slightly extended form with the same meaning.
  • Giá phỏng như tôi có đủ tiền, tôi sẽ mua ngôi nhà đó. (If I had enough money, I would buy that house.)

Variants and Related Words

• Giá như: (Conjunction) A more common modern synonym meaning "if only" or "supposing".
  • Giá như tôi biết trước... (If only I had known...)
• Giả sử: (Conjunction) Meaning "suppose that" or "assuming that", used in both spoken and written language.
  • Giả sử điều đó là thật... (Suppose that is true...)
• Phỏng: (Verb) Can mean "to estimate", "to guess", or "to imitate". In "giá phỏng", it contributes the sense of estimation or hypothesis.

Synonyms

• Nếu: If (the most common and general conditional conjunction).
• Ví thử: If, supposing (literary, similar to "giá phỏng").
• Giá mà: If only (expressing a wish about an unreal past condition).

Notes on Usage

• Register: "Giá phỏng" is considered literary and formal. It is more commonly found in classical literature, formal writing, or rhetorical speech than in everyday conversation.
• Function: It is used to set up a hypothetical scenario, often followed by a clause indicating the imagined consequence. The consequence clause frequently uses the conditional mood (would/should/could have... in English).

1. Supposing, if