Conditionals
ば, たら, なら and と.
Japanese has four ways to say "if". They overlap a lot, but each has its own leaning.
| Form | Made from | Use |
|---|---|---|
| ば | Godan: u → e + ば (書けば). Ichidan: る → れば (食べれば). い-adjectives: い → ければ (高ければ) | If; the condition is the point |
| たら | た form + ら (書いたら, 食べたら) | If or when; one thing after another. The most general |
| なら | Dictionary or た form, noun or adjective + なら | If that's so; replying to what was said |
| と | Dictionary form + と | Whenever; what always follows. Not for requests or wishes |
- Yasukereba kaimasu.If it's cheap, I'll buy it.
- Ie ni tsuitara denwa shite kudasai.Call me when you get home.
- Tōkyō ni iku nara, shinkansen ga benri da.If you're going to Tokyo, the shinkansen is convenient.
- Haru ni naru to, sakura ga saku.When spring comes, the cherry trees bloom.
Forms
Negatives work the same way, from the ない form: 書かなければ, 書かなかったら.
ば
ば puts the weight on the condition: if this, then that. ばいい asks or advises what to do.
- Dō sureba ii desu ka.What should I do?
たら
たら fits most "if" and "when" sentences, including ones that end in a request, an invitation or a wish. It also says "when" for something that will surely happen, and with a past ending it describes what you found: 家に帰ったら、手紙が来ていた "When I got home, a letter had come."
- Ame dattara, ikimasen.If it rains, I won't go.
と
と is for natural results, habits and how things work: whenever the first happens, the second follows. The second part can't be a request, an invitation or a wish.
- Kono botan o osu to, doa ga akimasu.When you press this button, the door opens.
なら
なら takes up something the other person said, or something already given: "if that's the case". What follows can be advice or an opinion, and it doesn't have to happen after the condition.
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Longer sentences cards.
How do you make the ば form of a godan verb like 書く (write)?
Change the final u sound to e and add ば: 書けば.
What's the ば form of the い-adjective 安い (cheap)?
安ければ
How do you make the たら form of a verb like 着く (arrive)?
Add ら to the plain past: 着いたら.
What's the たら form of a noun such as 雨 (rain)?
雨だったら
What's the negative ば form of 急ぐ (hurry), meaning 'if (we) don't hurry'?
急がなければ
What does a ば form + いいですか ask for, as in どうすればいいですか?
Advice: what you should do.
What does たら mean when the sentence ends in the past, as in 家に帰ったら、手紙が来ていた?
'When': it describes what you found after doing the first thing.
Which 'if' form, ば, たら, なら or と, says that one thing always follows another?
と, after the dictionary form.
と or たら: which can be followed by a request, an invitation or a wish?
たら
When do you use なら for 'if'?
To take up what someone just said: 'if that's the case'.