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Conditional forms: たら、なら


Dmitry

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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!

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