# if

> English word · Conjunction · IPA /ɪf/ · frequency rank #37

## Definitions
1. Supposing that, assuming that, in the circumstances that; used to introduce a condition that may be (or prove to be) either true or false.
2. Supposing that, assuming that, in the circumstances that; used to introduce a condition that may be (or prove to be) either true or false.
3. Supposing that; used with past or past perfect subjunctive to indicate a counterfactual or hypothetical condition.
4. Supposing that; used with past or past perfect subjunctive to indicate a counterfactual or hypothetical condition.
5. Considering the fact that; given that; introducing a condition that is known to be true.
6. When; whenever; every time that.
7. Although; used to introduce a concession; may..but.
8. Whether; used to introduce a noun clause, an indirect question, that functions as the direct object of certain verbs.
9. Introducing a relevance conditional; in case.
10. While; used to introduce a contrast (frequently used by some historians but rare elsewhere)

## Etymology
From Middle English if, yif, yef, from Old English ġif (“if”), from Proto-West Germanic *jabu, *jabē, from Proto-Germanic *jabai (“when, if”). Cognate with Scots gif (“if, whether”), Saterland Frisian af, of (“if, whether”), West Frisian oft (“whether”), Dutch of (“or, whether, but”), Middle Low German ef, if, af, of ("if; whether"; > German Low German of), German ob (“if, whether”), Icelandic ef (“if”).

## Easily confused with
- **in** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-in)
- **is** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-is)
- **it** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-it)
- **II** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-ii)
- **IV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-iv)
- **IP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-ip)
- **IQ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-iq)
- **IG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-ig)
- **io** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-io)
- **IK** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-ik)
- **iz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-iz)
- **IH** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-ih)
- **IJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-ij)
- **its** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-its)
- **inc** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-inc)
- **ill** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-ill)
- **ion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-ion)
- **iOS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-ios)
- **ink** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-ink)
- **inn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/if-vs-inn)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/if