Whether, If, and Embedded Alternatives

What you’ll learn

Choose forms for indirect yes/no alternatives.

ជ្រើស whether និង if ក្នុងសំណួរប្រយោលតាមលំនាំ។

Meaning and use

If and whether can often introduce embedded yes/no questions after verbs such as ask or know. Whether is preferred or required in several structures: before a to-infinitive, after a preposition, and in a subject clause. Whether or not makes the alternatives explicit. Do not confuse conditional if with embedded-question if.

If និង whether អាចប្រើក្នុងសំណួរ yes/no ប្រយោល។ ប្រើ whether មុន to-infinitive ក្រោយធ្នាក់ និងក្នុងឃ្លាដែលជាប្រធាន។ វាខុសពី if ដែលបង្ហាញលក្ខខណ្ឌ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Embedded alternatives	I wonder whether/if she agrees.
Restricted patterns	whether to leave / about whether to apply

Examples

1. I do not know whether she agrees.

   ខ្ញុំមិនដឹងថានាងយល់ព្រមឬទេ។

2. We discussed whether to postpone the event.

   យើងពិភាក្សាថាគួរពន្យារព្រឹត្តិការណ៍ឬអត់។

3. It depends on whether the room is available.

   វាអាស្រ័យលើថាបន្ទប់ទំនេរឬទេ។

4. Whether he comes or not will affect the plan.

   ថាគាត់មកឬអត់ នឹងប៉ះពាល់ដល់ផែនការ។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Have you decided whether to apply?

Maly: Not yet. It depends on whether I can study in the evening.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
I cannot decide if to stay.	I cannot decide whether to stay.	Use whether before a to-infinitive.
It depends on if she agrees.	It depends on whether she agrees.	Use whether after the preposition on in edited English.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete: We are uncertain about ___ he will attend.
2. Rewrite with an infinitive: I cannot decide whether I should go.
3. Does If she comes, we will start contain an embedded question?

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. whether

   Whether follows the preposition about.

2. I cannot decide whether to go.

   Whether can introduce the infinitival alternative.

3. No; it contains a conditional clause.

   The clause supplies a condition rather than an unresolved yes/no answer.

Quick recap

• Embedded alternatives: I wonder whether/if she agrees.
• Restricted patterns: whether to leave / about whether to apply