If you so much as (watch out): 〜（よ）うものなら
動詞意向形 + ものなら
Volitional + ものなら: “if you were ever to do X, watch out for the consequences”. Not to be confused with potential + ものなら, which expresses an unattainable wish.
In short
Volitional verb + ものなら means “if you were ever to do X (and it would be a bad idea)”: what follows describes an unfortunate, often exaggerated consequence. 彼に話そうものなら、すぐに広まる: “tell him anything at all and everyone will know”. It's used to warn or to poke fun, in speech as in writing — much like English “if you so much as…”.
- 彼に話そうものなら、すぐに町中に広まってしまう。かれにはなそうものなら、すぐにまちじゅうにひろまってしまう。If you so much as tell him anything, the whole town will know straight away.
- 父は厳しくて、門限を一分でも過ぎようものなら、ひどく怒られる。ちちはきびしくて、もんげんをいっぷんでもすぎようものなら、ひどくおこられる。My father is strict: if I'm home even a minute after curfew, I get an earful.
- 少しでも油断しようものなら、すぐに追い抜かれてしまう。すこしでもゆだんしようものなら、すぐにおいぬかれてしまう。Let your guard down even slightly and you'll be overtaken at once.
The basics
The volitional (話そう) works here as a hypothesis: “in case one were to do”. ものなら sets the condition. Together: “if one were ever to venture to do X, then…”.
What follows is always an unfortunate consequence, often exaggerated for effect. It's a warning, or an amused complaint about someone.
If you so much as tell him, it spreads straight away.
- noun
- verb
- grammatical form
- other
- この部長に意見しようものなら、すぐに地方へ飛ばされるよ。このぶちょうにいけんしようものなら、すぐにちほうへとばされるよ。Dare give this manager your opinion, and you'll find yourself transferred to the provinces.
- うちの猫は、ドアを開けようものなら、すぐに外へ逃げ出す。うちのねこは、どあをあけようものなら、すぐにそとへにげだす。Our cat — open the door even a crack and he shoots outside.
How to form it
Volitional verb + ものなら. The volitional is formed as follows: group 1 in 〜おう (話す → 話そう), group 2 in 〜よう (見る → 見よう), する → しよう, 来る → 来よう.
| Verb | Volitional | + ものなら |
|---|---|---|
| 話す | 話そう | 話そうものなら |
| 遅れる | 遅れよう | 遅れようものなら |
| する | しよう | しようものなら |
| 来る | 来よう（こよう） | 来ようものなら |
- 一分でも遅れようものなら、会議に入れてもらえない。いっぷんでもおくれようものなら、かいぎにいれてもらえない。Be even a minute late and they won't let you into the meeting.
Don't confuse it with できるものなら
With a verb in the potential form, ものなら changes meaning completely: 戻れるものなら戻りたい, “if only I could go back, I'd gladly do so”. It's a wish about something almost impossible (N2).
So: volitional + ものなら = a threat or warning; potential + ものなら = an unattainable wish. 〜たら最後 (once done, there's no going back) rather describes what's sure to happen, without the idea of “if you ever”.
- できるものなら、学生時代に戻りたい。できるものなら、がくせいじだいにもどりたい。If only I could, I'd go back to my student days.
- やれるものなら、やってみろ。やれるものなら、やってみろ。Go on, try it, if you think you can!
Common mistakes
- Confusing it with 〜できるものなら (a wish): the verb form decides, volitional or potential.
- Putting a positive outcome after it: “×彼に話そうものなら、喜んでくれる” doesn't work; the consequence is unfortunate.
- Forming the volitional haphazardly: 過ぎる → 過ぎよう, 言う → 言おう, not “×過ぎろう”.
7 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N1 point is on the Yamagata Line (Science and medicine) of the Shinkansen.