What is the difference between ‘If’, ‘If’ and ‘Ob’?
“If” and “if” are conjugations that address the possibility of a future action/fact against the background of the arrival of a condition and/orcondition.
So the classic scheme (shortened) “IfX, then Y” or“If X, then Y”. If and if so go in the same direction and are comparable in this respect; the“ob” is another case (see below).
The difference, according to my language/feeling, is that in the “if” case, the actual occurrence of the conditions is more clearly assumed.In the case of “case” the arrival seems to be much more vague, one does not assume fixed, respectively. less fixed than in the “if” case. If you like, a certain “doubt” resonates with or. expressititation.
Examples of “if”/”if”:
- “If you come tomorrow, I’ll cook.” — In this formulation, I’m more likely to assume that the conditions/conditions will arrive (i.e. that the person is coming).
- “If you come tomorrow, I’ll cook.” — This wording does not yet make it clear whether the condition/requirement will actually materialize.
It is rather open whether the person will come in handy.
The “ob” in turn does not attract a condition-A-then-hand-B system.Rather, it deals only with the condition itself, which does not necessarily have an effect on the possible action.
Therefore, the above sentences do not work with the “whether” if one wanted to exchange them directly — so to speak, synonymously ) (except in the last sentence, which would then have a different meaning).One would have to modify the sentences a little for the “ob” and from this the other meaning is also shown.
- “Whether you come tomorrow, I’ll cook.” — This sentence makes no sense.
A vartiante, for example, would be “Whether you come tomorrow or not, I cook.” Or“Whether you’re hungry tomorrow or fed up, I’m cooking.” So a condition is addressed, but it has no effect on my intended action (I will cook in any case).
More understandable, for example, would be the variant (as a question): “Is it really true that he lied? “ Here the condition is called into question and is not linked to any inference.Other variant “Whether it’s true that he lied doesn’t matter to me!” (Synonym would be “even if”.) Again, there is no influence on a possible, inference-inferring action.
In comparison to the if/if example, it is not a question of informing (passing the pharmacy) in the actual case, but of informing you in advance that you will get ahead if you know it.
Important note: “Whether” may have other meanings; “if” as well.The Duden usually helps with the further meanings well.