How to Use If-Elif-Else in Python (With Easy Code Examples)

Introduction: What Are if, elif, and else Statements in Python?

If-Elif-Else: Let’s say your program needs to make a choice—something like, “If it’s raining, grab an umbrella. If it’s sunny, wear sunglasses. Otherwise, just go as you are.” In Python, we use if, elif, and else to handle exactly that kind of logic.

These statements let your program make decisions based on conditions. So instead of running the same thing every time, it can react differently depending on what’s happening.

In this guide, I’ll show you what these statements are, why they’re important, and how to use them with easy-to-follow examples. No confusing codes—just clear, simple steps to help you get the hang of it.

Let’s jump in and make Python a little smarter, one condition at a time.

What Is an If-Else Statement in Python?

Let’s start with the basics. An if-else statement in Python helps your program make a choice between two options.

It works like this:

• If a certain condition is true, it runs one block of code.
• If not, it runs a different block.

Here’s a simple example to show how it works:

x = 10

if x > 5:
    print("x is greater than 5")
else:
    print("x is 5 or less")

What’s happening here?

• Python checks if x > 5.
• Since x is 10, the condition is True, so it prints:
  x is greater than 5
• If x had been 5 or less, the program would’ve printed the other message.

So with just a few lines of code, your program is already making decisions like a pro.

Want to add more than two choices? That’s where elif comes in—and we’ll look at that next!

What Does elif Mean in Python?

So far, we’ve seen how if-else lets us choose between two options. But what if you have more than two possible conditions?

That’s where elif comes in. It stands for “else if”, and it lets you check multiple conditions—one after the other—until one of them is true.

Here’s a simple example:

x = 7

if x > 10:
    print("x is greater than 10")
elif x > 5:
    print("x is greater than 5 but less than or equal to 10")
else:
    print("x is 5 or less")

How does this work?

• Python checks the first condition: x > 10. That’s False, so it moves on.
• Then it checks the elif: x > 5. That’s True, so it prints:
  "x is greater than 5 but less than or equal to 10"
• Since one condition matched, Python skips the rest (including the else).

Using elif helps you keep your code clean and readable, especially when you’re checking for 3 or more conditions.

Up next, we’ll combine all three—if, elif, and else—in one neat example to show how they work together in real life.

Python if-elif-else Statement Syntax

Now that you’ve seen a few examples, let’s look at the general syntax of how if-elif-else statements work in Python.

Here’s the basic structure:

if condition1:
    # Code runs if condition1 is True
elif condition2:
    # Code runs if condition2 is True
else:
    # Code runs if none of the above conditions are True

A few key things to remember:

• Indentation matters! Python doesn’t use curly braces {}—it uses indentation to know which lines belong to which block.
• Each condition must evaluate to True or False.
• You can have as many elif blocks as you need.
• But you can only have one if and one else in each statement.

Once you get used to this pattern, writing decision-making logic in Python becomes super smooth.

Next, let’s put this syntax into action with a real-life example that reacts to different inputs!

Simple If-Else Python Examples for Practice

Here’s a real-world scenario where we check if someone is eligible to vote based on their age.

Example 1: Check Voting Eligibility

We’re going to use an if-else statement to check if someone’s age is greater than or equal to 18, which is the typical voting age in many countries.

age = 18

if age >= 18:
    print("You are eligible to vote.")
else:
    print("You are not eligible to vote.")

How it works:

• If the age is 18 or older, the condition age >= 18 will be True, so it will print:
  "You are eligible to vote."
• If the age is less than 18, it will print:
  "You are not eligible to vote."

Practice Tip:

Try changing the age variable to see how the output changes. You can test different ages to see the if-else logic in action!

Now, let’s step it up a bit and create a Grade Calculator using if-elif-else. This is a real-life example where we check a student’s marks and determine their grade.

Example 2: Grade Calculator Using Elif

Here’s how we can assign grades based on the marks:

marks = 85

if marks >= 90:
    print("Grade: A")
elif marks >= 75:
    print("Grade: B")
elif marks >= 60:
    print("Grade: C")
else:
    print("Grade: D")

How it works:

• If the marks are 90 or higher, it prints “Grade: A”.
• For marks between 75 and 89, the grade will be ‘B.’
• If the marks are between 60 and 74, it prints “Grade: C”.
• If the marks are below 60, it prints “Grade: D”.

Practice Tip:

Try changing the marks variable to different values and observe how the output changes depending on which condition matches. This will help you understand how the program checks each condition in order.

Feel free to modify the grade ranges or add more conditions to experiment with different scenarios!

Now, let’s talk about nested if-else statements in Python. This happens when you place an if-else block inside another if block. It’s useful when you need to check multiple conditions within a single decision-making process.

Nested If-Else in Python Explained

In a nested if-else, the program first checks one condition, and if it’s true, it will check another condition inside that first condition. Here’s an example:

x = 15

if x > 10:
    if x < 20:
        print("x is between 11 and 19")
    else:
        print("x is 20 or more")
else:
    print("x is 10 or less")

How this works:

• First, Python checks if x > 10. Since x is 15, the condition is True, so it moves to the next step.
• Inside the first if block, Python checks if x < 20. Since x is 15, this condition is also True, so it prints:
  "x is between 11 and 19"
• If x had been greater than or equal to 20, Python would’ve executed the else block and printed:
  "x is 20 or more"
• If x had been 10 or less, it would’ve skipped the first block and printed:
  "x is 10 or less"

Key Tip:

While nested if-else statements can be useful, it’s important to use them carefully. Too many layers can make your code harder to read and follow. Always aim for clarity when nesting!

Let’s add another nested condition to make this example a bit more complex.

Nested If-Else with More Conditions

Let’s check if x is within different ranges: less than 10, between 10 and 20, between 20 and 30, and 30 or more. We’ll nest the conditions to handle these cases.

Here’s the updated code:

x = 25

if x < 10:
    print("x is less than 10")
elif x >= 10 and x < 20:
    if x == 15:
        print("x is exactly 15")
    else:
        print("x is between 10 and 19, but not exactly 15")
elif x >= 20 and x < 30:
    print("x is between 20 and 29")
else:
    print("x is 30 or more")

How this works:

• The first condition checks if x is less than 10. If it were, it would print: "x is less than 10".
• If x is between 10 and 19, it checks if it’s exactly 15 with the nested if. If it’s exactly 15, it prints: "x is exactly 15". Otherwise, it prints:
  "x is between 10 and 19, but not exactly 15".
• For values of x between 20 and 29, the program will print: ‘x is between 20 and 29.’
• If none of the above conditions are true (meaning x is 30 or more), it prints: "x is 30 or more".

Practice Tip:

You can try changing the value of x and observe how the program reacts. This is a great way to get comfortable with nested conditions and how Python checks them.

Let’s dive into some common mistakes to avoid when using if-elif-else statements in Python, so you can write cleaner, more effective code without running into frustrating errors.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid with If-Elif-Else in Python

1. Missing Indentation

Python uses indentation to define the blocks of code that belong to each if, elif, or else statement. If you forget to indent properly, Python will throw an IndentationError. Here’s an example of what not to do:

x = 10

if x > 5:
print("wrong")  # This will throw an IndentationError

Why it happens:

In the code above, the print statement is not indented correctly under the if block, so Python doesn’t know that it’s part of the if statement.

Correct version:

x = 10

if x > 5:
    print("Correct")  # Indentation is fixed!

2. Using elif Without an Initial if

Another mistake is trying to use elif without a preceding if. The elif block can only be used after an if block, or another elif block. Here’s what can go wrong:

x = 10

elif x > 5:  # This will throw a SyntaxError
    print("x is greater than 5")

Why it happens:

You can’t start with elif directly—it needs an initial if block to check the first condition.

Correct version:

x = 10

if x > 5:
    print("x is greater than 5")

3. Using Assignment (=) Instead of Comparison (==)

This is a subtle mistake where you accidentally use the assignment operator (=) instead of the comparison operator (==). This can lead to unexpected behavior in your code.

x = 10

if x = 10:  # This will throw a SyntaxError
    print("x is 10")

Why it happens:

The assignment operator = is used to assign a value to a variable, not to compare values. In the above case, you’re mistakenly trying to use = in an if condition instead of == for comparison.

Correct version:

x = 10

if x == 10:  # Use '==' for comparison, not '=' for assignment
    print("x is 10")

Key Takeaways:

• Indentation is crucial in Python. Always indent the code inside if, elif, and else blocks properly.
• Always use if before elif.
• Use == for comparisons, not =.

By avoiding these mistakes, your if-elif-else statements will work as expected and your code will be cleaner and easier to debug.

When to Use If, Elif, or Else in Python

Understanding when to use if, elif, and else will help you control the flow of your program and make decisions based on different conditions. Here’s a breakdown of when each one should be used:

Use if when:

You need to check the first condition.

• The if statement is used to evaluate the first condition in your decision-making process.
• If the condition is True, the block of code inside the if runs.

Example:

x = 10
if x > 5:
    print("x is greater than 5")  # This will run because the condition is True

In this example, if is checking whether x > 5. Since it’s the first condition in our decision structure, we start with if.

Use elif when:

You need to check additional conditions after the initial if.

• elif stands for “else if” and is used when you have multiple conditions to check after the initial if.
• If the condition of the if statement is False, the program moves to the next elif (if there is one) and checks it.
• You can use as many elif blocks as needed.

Example:

x = 15
if x > 20:
    print("x is greater than 20")
elif x > 10:
    print("x is greater than 10 but less than or equal to 20")  # This will run because x is 15

Here, the elif is checking if x is greater than 10 after the initial if condition (x > 20) is False. If x > 10 is True, the code inside the elif block will execute.

Use else when:

You want a default block to run if no conditions match.

• The else block runs when none of the above conditions are True.
• You don’t need to specify any condition for the else—it’s simply a fallback option when all if and elif conditions fail.

Example:

x = 5
if x > 10:
    print("x is greater than 10")
elif x > 7:
    print("x is greater than 7 but less than or equal to 10")
else:
    print("x is 7 or less")  # This will run because both previous conditions are False

In this case, since both the if and elif conditions are False, the else block executes, providing the default output.

Summary:

• if is used when you need to check the first condition.
• elif is used for additional conditions after the initial if.
• else is used as a catch-all default block when no conditions are met.

By following these rules, you can structure your Python programs to handle all kinds of decision-making processes smoothly!

Real-Life Use Cases of Python Conditional Statements

Let’s break down these real-life examples step by step to understand how if-elif-else statements work in Python. I’ll guide you through each one, explaining the logic behind it and showing how you can use these statements in real-world programs.

1. Login Systems: Checking if Username and Password Match

Imagine you want to build a simple login system. You need to check whether the username and password entered by the user match the stored ones. This is a classic example of using conditional statements in Python.

Here’s how we can break it down:

• First, we’ll ask the user to enter their username and password.
• We’ll then compare the entered username and password with the stored ones.
• If both match, the login is successful. If not, the user is shown an error message.

Code Example:

# Stored credentials
stored_username = "user123"
stored_password = "pass123"

# Ask the user to input their username and password
username = input("Enter your username: ")
password = input("Enter your password: ")

# Check if both the username and password match
if username == stored_username and password == stored_password:
    print("Login successful!")
else:
    print("Invalid username or password.")

Explanation:

• input(): This function asks the user to type in their username and password.
• if username == stored_username and password == stored_password: This line checks whether both the username and password match the stored values.
• If both conditions are True, the code inside the if block runs, and the user is logged in.
• and If either condition is False, the else block runs, and the user is shown an error message.

2. Games: Triggering Different Actions Based on Player Input

In a game, you might want to check the player’s input and trigger different actions based on their choice. Let’s look at a simple example where the player can either choose to fight or run.

Code Example:

# Ask the player for their action
action = input("Do you want to 'fight' or 'run'? ").lower()

# Check if the action is to fight or run
if action == 'fight':
    print("You engage in battle!")
elif action == 'run':
    print("You flee from the battle!")
else:
    print("Invalid action. Please choose 'fight' or 'run'.")

Explanation:

• input(): This function gets the player’s input. The .lower() method ensures that it’s case-insensitive (so “Fight” and “fight” will both be accepted).
• if action == 'fight': If the player’s action is “fight”, the first block of code runs.
• elif action == 'run': If the action isn’t “fight”, the program checks if it’s “run”. If True, it runs that block.
• else: If the player enters anything other than “fight” or “run”, the else block runs, prompting them to enter a valid action.

3. Forms: Validating Age and Email Before Submission

You can also use conditional statements to validate data entered by users in forms. For instance, checking if the user is old enough to use a service or if the email they provided is valid.

Code Example:

# Ask the user to enter their age
age = int(input("Enter your age: "))

# Check if the age is valid for submission
if age < 18:
    print("Sorry, you must be at least 18 years old to submit this form.")
else:
    # If age is valid, check if the email is valid
    email = input("Enter your email address: ")
    if "@" in email and "." in email:
        print("Form submitted successfully!")
    else:
        print("Please enter a valid email address.")

Explanation:

• input(): This asks the user for their age and email.
• if age < 18: If the user is younger than 18, the program shows a message saying they’re not eligible.
• else: If the user is 18 or older, it asks for their email.
• if "@" in email and "." in email: This checks whether the email contains both “@” and “.”. It’s a simple validation to make sure the email is somewhat correct.
• else: If the email is invalid, the user is prompted to enter a valid email address.

Key Takeaways:

• Login System: We used if and else to check whether the entered username and password matched the stored ones.
• Game Actions: We used if, elif, and else to handle different choices made by the player.
• Form Validation: We used if, else, and nested conditionals to validate the user’s age and email.

Conclusion: Mastering Python’s Conditional Statements

Now that you’ve learned how to use if-elif-else statements in Python, you can apply them in a variety of real-world scenarios, like creating login systems, building game logic, or validating user input in forms. These fundamental control flow tools are the backbone of most Python programs, helping you make decisions and manage program behavior based on different conditions.

We’ve walked through simple examples, and hopefully, you’re now more comfortable using these statements in your own projects. Remember, if checks the first condition, elif handles additional conditions, and else provides a default when no other conditions match.

Keep experimenting, and soon you’ll be creating more complex programs with ease.

Quiz Challenge

Basic If-Else Logic

Using Elif for Multiple Conditions

Nested If-Else

Comparing If-Elif-Else with Multiple Conditions

Conditional Blocks and Indentation

External Resources

Python Official Documentation on Conditional Statements

• Link: https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/controlflow.html

W3Schools – Python If…Else

• Link: https://www.w3schools.com/python/python_conditions.asp

GeeksforGeeks – Python If Else Statements

• Link: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/python-if-else/

Python Tutor – Visualize Python Code

• Link: http://pythontutor.com/

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