if it were not for / but for
if it were not for / but for significa “«If it weren't for» / «but for»: decir que una sola cosa es la única razón de que algo sea o no sea así”. «If it weren't for X» significa «sin X»: If it weren't for your help, I would be lost (solo tu ayuda me salva). Formación: If it were not for + noun / Had it not been for + noun / but for + noun
«If it weren't for» / «but for»: decir que una sola cosa es la única razón de que algo sea o no sea así
C2Formación
If it were not for + noun / Had it not been for + noun / but for + noun
Explicación
«If it weren't for X» significa «sin X»: If it weren't for your help, I would be lost (solo tu ayuda me salva). Para el pasado se usa «if it hadn't been for»: If it hadn't been for the doctor, he would have died. Las formas invertidas formales quitan «if»: Were it not for... y Had it not been for.... «But for» + sustantivo es un equivalente muy formal: But for your support, we would have failed.
Ejemplos
Nota
Se mantiene «were» (no «was») en «if it weren't for», incluso con sujeto singular, porque es un hipotético: If it weren't for him.
FAQ
if it were not for / but for — ¿qué significa y cómo se usa?
«If it weren't for» / «but for»: decir que una sola cosa es la única razón de que algo sea o no sea así. «If it weren't for X» significa «sin X»: If it weren't for your help, I would be lost (solo tu ayuda me salva). Para el pasado se usa «if it hadn't been for»: If it hadn't been for the doctor, he would have died. Las formas invertidas formales quitan «if»: Were it not for... y Had it not been for.... «But for» + sustantivo es un equivalente muy formal: But for your support, we would have failed.
if it were not for / but for — ¿cómo se forma?
If it were not for + noun / Had it not been for + noun / but for + noun
if it were not for / but for — ¿algo a tener en cuenta?
Se mantiene «were» (no «was») en «if it weren't for», incluso con sujeto singular, porque es un hipotético: If it weren't for him.