Thread: is б = бы ?

Originally Posted by tohca

Is usage of бы tied to если, or can it be used with other conjunctions as well?

Well, it can definitely be used with the conjunctions хоть and хотя -- in both cases, the general meaning is either "even if only" or "at least".

Он считает, что человек должен попробовать ЛСД, хотя бы раз. (He thinks that a person ought to try LSD, even if only once.)

Other usage of бы is often phraseological.

1)There are combinations of "где бы ни", "кто бы ни", "что бы ни" etc., which means "wherever", "whoever", "whatever"...

2)"хотя бы" = "at least"

3)"Как будто" = "как будто бы" = "будто бы" = (colloquial)"как бы" = "as if"

...

There are more phrases I think.