Conditional Statements in Python – Python Tutorial

3 mins read59.5K Views 2 Comments

Assistant Manager - Content

Updated on Aug 16, 2024 14:49 IST

As the name suggests, a conditional statement is used to handle conditions in your program. These statements guide the program while making decisions based on the conditions encountered by the program. In this article, we will explore three conditional statements in Python: if statement, if-else statements, if-elif-else ladder.

Like every other programming language, Python also has some predefined conditional statements. A conditional statement as the name suggests itself, is used to handle conditions in your program. These statements guide the program while making decisions based on the conditions encountered by the program.

Must Check: Free Python Online Course and Certifications

Must Read: What is Python?

Python has 3 key Conditional Statements that you should know:

if statement
if-else statement
if-elif-else ladder

Let’s discuss each of them in detail.

if Statement

The if statement is a conditional statement in Python used to determine whether a block of code will be executed. If the program finds the condition defined in the if statement true, it will execute the code block inside the if statement.

Syntax:

if condition:
        # execute code block

To better understand this, take a look at the below example.

Must Check: Top Python Online Courses and Certifications

Python Example: Python program to check if a number is odd or even.

# list of numbers
list_of_numbers = [2,4,6,9,5]

# for loop to iterate through the list and check each elements of the list
for i in list_of_numbers:
        # check if no. is odd
        if i % 2 != 0:
                # if condition is True print "odd"
                print (i, "is an odd number")
        # check if no. is even
        if i % 2 == 0:
                # if condition is false print "even"
                print (i, "is an even number")
Copy code

Output:

Also Read: For Loop in Python

Recommended online courses

Best-suited Python for data science courses for you

Learn Python for data science with these high-rated online courses

Python for data science

IIT MadrasCertificate

5.0

Total Fees

Free

Duration

4 weeks

Data Analysis with Python for Managers (with Live Project)

Coding NinjasCertificate

4.6

Total Fees

₹12 K

Duration

8 hours

Data Science using Python

IIT KanpurCertificate

4.0

Total Fees

₹4.24 K

Duration

6 weeks

Data Science Online Training

Besant Technologies, Velachery - ChennaiCertificate

5.0

Total Fees

₹40 K

Duration

100 hours

Online Course Data Science with Python

ThinkNext TechnologiesCertificate

Total Fees

₹4.99 K

Duration

– / –

DATA SCIENCE COURSE USING PYTHON.

CETPA Infotech Pvt LtdCertificate

5.0

Total Fees

– / –

Duration

60 hours

Certificate Program in Data Science for Finance (CPDSF)

Indian Institute of Quantitative FinanceCertificate

Total Fees

₹68 K

Duration

3 months

Certified Professional Diploma in Data Science

NetTech IndiaCertificate

4.0

Total Fees

– / –

Duration

– / –

Python

Seven Mentor Pvt LtdCertificate

4.5

Total Fees

– / –

Duration

90 hours

Introduction to Python for Data Science and Data Engineering

DatabricksCertificate

Total Fees

₹1.27 L

Duration

12 hours

if-else Statement

As discussed above, the if statement executes the code block when the condition is true. Similarly, the else statement works in conjuncture with the if statement to execute a code block when the defined if condition is false.

Syntax:

if condition:
        # execute code if condition is true
else:
        # execute code if condition if False

Now, let’s expand on this concept in the previous example.

Python Example: Python program to check if a number is odd or even.

# list of numbers
list_of_numbers = [2,4,6,9,5]
 
# for loop to iterate through the list and check each element of the list
for i in list_of_numbers:
 
        # check if no. is odd
        if i%2 != 0:
 
                # if condition is True print "odd"
                print(i, "is an odd number")
 
        # if the no. is not odd then the no. is even therfore print "even"
        else:
 
                # if condition is True print "even"
                print(i, "is an even number")
Copy code

Output:

if-elif-else ladder

The elif statement is used to check for multiple conditions and execute the code block within if any of the conditions are evaluated to be true.

The elif statement is similar to the else statement in that it is optional. Still, unlike the else statement, multiple elif statements can be in a block of code following an if statement.

if condition1:
    # execute this statement
elif condition2:
    # execute this statement
    ..
    ..
else:
    # if non of the above conditions evaluate to True execute this statement

Take a look at the below example for context.

Python Example: Python program to check if a string matches the condition.

# take a sample string
string ="ShikshaOnline"
 
# check if value in the string variable
# matches "Shik"
if string == "Shik":
    print ("The first condition is true")
 
# check if value in the string variable
# matches "Shiksha"
elif string == "Shiksha":
    print("The second condition is true")
 
# check if value in the string variable
# matches "Online"
elif string == "Online":
    print("The third condition is true")
 
# check if value in the string variable
# matches "ShikshaOnline"
elif string=="ShikshaOnline":
    print("The fourth condition is true")
 
# if none of the above
# conditions evaluate to true
# execute the code inside the else block
else:
    print ("All the above conditions are false")
Copy code

Output:

The fourth condition is true

Nested if Statements:

A nested if statement is considered as if within another if statement(s). These are generally used to check for multiple conditions.

Syntax:

if condition1:
        if condition2:
                # execute code if both condition1and condition2 are True

Look at the example below for a better understanding of nested if statements.

Python Example: Python program to check if a number is odd and divisible by 3.

# list of numbers
list_of_numbers = [4,5,9,17,21]
 
# for loop to iterate through  the list and check each element of the list
for i in list_of_numbers:
 
    # condition1: check if no. is odd
    # if yes execute the code block inside the first if statement
    if i%2!=0:
 
        # condition2: check if no. is  also divisible by 3.
        if i%3==0:
 
            # if condition2 is true
            # execute the below code block
            print (i,"is an odd number & divisible by 3")
 
        # if codition2 if False
        # execute the below code block
 
        else:
            print (i, "is an odd number but not divisible by 3")
 
    # if condition1 is False
    # execute the below code block
    else:
        print(i,"is an even number")
Copy code

Output:

Conclusion:

In this article, we explored the following concepts:

What is the if statement?
How does it work?
What is the if-else statement?
What is the if-elif-else ladder?
How do nested if statements work?

FAQs

What is a Conditional Statement in Python?

A conditional statement as the name suggests itself, is used to handle conditions in your program. These statements guide the program while making decisions based on the conditions encountered by the program.

What are the benefits of using conditional statements in Python?

Conditional statements allow you to make decisions in your code, which can make your code more efficient and easier to read. For example, if you want to print a message only if a certain condition is met, you can use a conditional statement. This can help you to avoid writing long and complicated blocks of code.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when using conditional statements in Python?

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using conditional statements in Python: Forgetting to indent the code inside the if statement and else statement. Forgetting to add a colon (:) after the condition in the if statement. Using the wrong operator to compare two values. Forgetting to add an else statement.

About the Author

Vikram Singh

Assistant Manager - Content

Vikram has a Postgraduate degree in Applied Mathematics, with a keen interest in Data Science and Machine Learning. He has experience of 2+ years in content creation in Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, and Mac... Read Full Bio