if necessary
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if necessary
Expresses that an action will only be carried out if it is absolutely necessary or if there is no other option; in an emergency.
Wir versuchen, es heute zu schaffen, notfalls arbeiten wir bis in die Nacht.
We'll try to get it done today; if necessary, we'll work late into the night.
The word is made up of 'Not' (need, emergency situation) and 'Fall' (case). So it literally means 'in case of need'.
Wir haben genug Wasser, notfalls reicht es für drei Tage.
We have enough water; if necessary, it will last for three days.
As an adverb, 'notfalls' (if necessary) can stand at the beginning of the sentence in position 1. In this case, the verb follows directly after it. It can also stand in the middle of the sentence.
Notfalls können wir bei meinen Eltern übernachten.
If necessary, we can stay overnight at my parents' place.
'Notfalls' (if necessary) describes an alternative course of action that is not the first choice, but serves as a solution if needed. It expresses a 'plan B'.
Das Auto ist kaputt, wir müssen notfalls den Zug nehmen.
The car is broken; if necessary, we'll have to take the train.
need / hardship
'Zur Not' and 'notfalls' have very similar meanings: you do something only if there is no better option. Both fit when you are naming a last resort. The difference is mainly grammatical. 'Zur Not' is a fixed phrase with the noun 'Not'. 'notfalls' is an adverb and appears directly in the sentence. Learners can easily confuse them because the meaning is almost the same. In many everyday sentences, you can use both, but the sentence structure has to fit.
Wir fahren notfalls mit dem Bus, wenn der Zug ausfällt.
We'll take the bus if necessary if the train is canceled.
Zur Not frage ich den Nachbarn nach einem Werkzeug.
If necessary, I'll ask the neighbor for a tool.