Conditional forms: たら、なら

[Dmitry]

Hello, everyone! Today I`d like to talk about how to construct conditional forms in Japanese language using たら(tara) なら(nara). First, to create conditional form it is necessary to put たら/なら to a verb in the same way as た, て, たり, being added to conjunctive form of a verb (-masu stem):

会うー＞会ったら [auー＞attara]

歩くー＞歩いたら [arukuー＞aruitara]

急ぐー＞急いだら [isoguー＞isoidara]

話すー＞話したら [hanusuー＞hanasitara]

死ぬー＞死んだら [shinuー＞shindara]

学ぶー＞学んだら [manabuー＞manandara]

読むー＞読んだら [yomuー＞yondara]

待つー＞待ったら [matsuー＞mattara]

分かるー＞分かったら [wakaruー＞wakattara]

Note, the exception for the verb 行く (to go)：

行くー＞行ったら [ikuー＞ittara]

And the irregural verbs get their own table:

するー＞したら

来るー＞来たら

あるー＞あったら

ますー＞ましたら

Couple examples:

町を歩いたら、面白いお見物をいっぱい見ます。

[machi o aruitara, omoshiroi omimono o ippai mimasu]

If you walk around town, you`ll see many interesting sights.

2時間したら、勉強します。

[2 zikan sitara, benkyousimasu]

I`ll go study 2 hours from now.

So, basically this form can be translated as 'if', 'when'. Note, that たら also expresses future, so literally the previous examples can be translated as:

町を歩いたら、面白いお見物をいっぱい見ます。

[machi o aruitara, omoshiroi omimono o ippai mimasu]

In a future when you are walking around town, you see lots of interesting sights.

2時間したら、勉強します。

[2 zikan sitara, benkyousimasu]

In a future in which I have spent 2 hours doing (something), I will then go study.

なら [nara] - has the same meaning as たら, but used together with nouns:

先生ならきっと分かる。

[sensei nara kitto wakaru.]

I`m sure the teacher will understand.

Literally it comes as: If the teacher, than he/she will understand

Ok, that`s it for this moment. Expect comment from you. Have a nice evening and good luck!