NihonGo
Unit 56Phase P · Conditionals

〜なら

Given what you just said

ならpicks it up

Replies to something the other person just said. It needs them to speak first.

コーヒーなら

そのままno changes

Attaches straight onto a noun or a plain form — nothing conjugates.

ひまなら

4つthe map

と・たら・ば・なら — Step 2 shows which situation takes which.

どれを つかう？

コーヒーが のみたいです。

コーヒーなら、 あの みせが いいですよ。

Step 1

めいし ＋ なら

they name a thing, you recommend

The last of the four, and the odd one out. なら doesn't say “if this happens” — it says “given what you just told me”. Start with the simplest shape: someone names a thing, and you recommend something about it. 🔊 Tap to hear.

めいしthe thing they named
+
ならif it's that
+
おすすめyour advice
。

Someone names a thing, and you give them your recommendation about it. That's noun ＋ なら — “if it's X you're after, then …”. It attaches straight to the noun with nothing in between, and it needs the other person to have spoken first: なら always picks up something already on the table.

Step 2

どうし ＋ なら

if you're going to do that…

Same word, now on a verb: you take the plan they just told you about and say what follows from it. This is also where なら parts company with たら for good — いくなら points at a moment before the trip, while いったら can only point after it. 🔊 Tap to hear.

ふつうけいtheir plan
+
ならif you're going to
+
アドバイスwhat follows
。

Now with a verb: “if you're going to do that, then …”. You take the plan the other person just told you about, and you say what follows from it. And here is where なら separates itself from たら for good — なら can point at a moment BEFORE the action, たら never can: ・にほんに いくなら、きっぷを かいます。→ I buy the ticket first. ・にほんに いったら、きっぷを かいます。→ I buy it after arriving.

Step 3

どれを つかう？

which “if” does this need?

Here's the map. It's arranged by situation, because that's the question you'll actually have — not “what does ば mean” but “I want to say this, which one do I use?”. Notice that some situations accept several: they really are interchangeable there. 🔊 Tap any sentence to hear it.

〜たら was introduced back in Unit 19 →

いつも・しぜんにAlways — it happens by itself
◯ と◯ たら◯ ばなら

All three work here and mean the same thing — this is where they really are interchangeable. なら can't: nobody said anything to pick up.

もしA hypothetical “if”
◯ たら◯ ば◯ ならと

と is for 100% — things that always happen. もし is a maybe, so と can't go there.

〜た あとでAfter A happens, then do B
◯ たらとばなら

A request follows, so と is out (Unit 54). たら is the one that takes anything.

めいし ＋ なら（おすすめ）They named a thing — you recommend
◯ ならとたらば

Attaches straight to the noun. なら needs someone to have spoken first.

どうし ＋ なら（あいての よてい）If you're going to do that…
◯ ならとたらば

なら can point BEFORE the action — いくなら = buy first, いったら = buy after arriving.

Step 4

Phase P まとめ

the wrap-up quiz

Ten questions across the whole phase — building the じょうけんけい, choosing between the four, and saying the same sentence a second way.

Question 1 / 10 · 0 correct

fill the blankやすかったら、かいます。＝ ◯◯、かいます。Say it with 〜ば instead.
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