If that's the case, as for: 〜なら
Plain form／noun + なら
Plain form／noun + なら: “if that's the case, as for…”, mainly to react to the other person and give advice. B can even happen before A. No だ before なら.
In short
〜なら often picks up what the other person has just said in order to give advice or an opinion: “if that's the case, then…”. 京都に 行くなら、秋が いいですよ (if you're going to Kyoto, autumn is a good time). With a noun, it means “as for…, when it comes to…”: 日本語なら、田中さんに 聞いて ください.
- 京都に 行くなら、秋が いいですよ。きょうとに いくなら、あきが いいですよ。If you're going to Kyoto, autumn is a good time.
- 日本語なら、田中さんに 聞いて ください。にほんごなら、たなかさんに きいて ください。When it comes to Japanese, ask Mr Tanaka.
- ビールなら、れいぞうこに ありますよ。ビールなら、れいぞうこに ありますよ。If it's beer you're after, there's some in the fridge.
- 大阪に 行くなら、ガイドブックを 持って いって ください。おおさかに いくなら、ガイドブックを もって いって ください。If you're going to Osaka, take a guidebook.
The basics
なら says: “assuming A (what you're saying, what you're planning), here's my advice”. It very often reacts to what the other person says: A: あした 京都に 行きます。B: 京都に 行くなら、バスが 便利ですよ.
If you're going to Kyoto, autumn is a good time.
- noun
- verb
- particle
- adjective
- 疲れたの？ 疲れたなら、少し 休もう。つかれたの？ つかれたなら、すこし やすもう。Are you tired? If you're tired, let's take a short break.
- おいしい ラーメンなら、なんばに いい 店が ありますよ。おいしい ラーメンなら、なんばに いい みせが ありますよ。If it's good ramen you want, there's a great place in Namba.
How to form it
Plain form + なら. After a noun or a な-adjective, だ disappears: 学生なら, 静かなら (never “だなら”).
| Type | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| verb | 行くなら | if you're going |
| verb in the past | 行ったなら | if you went |
| い-adjective | 高いなら | if it's expensive |
| な-adjective | 静かなら | if it's quiet |
| noun | 日本語なら | when it comes to Japanese |
- 高いなら、買わなくても いいよ。たかいなら、かわなくても いいよ。If it's expensive, you don't have to buy it.
The order can be reversed
With たら, A happens before B. With なら, B can be done before A: 行くなら、地図を 買って おく (if I'm going, I'll buy a map beforehand). You take A as a hypothesis and act accordingly, even in advance.
- 大阪に 行くなら、ICカードを 買って おくと 便利です。おおさかに いくなら、ICカードを かって おくと べんりです。If you're going to Osaka, it's handy to get an IC card in advance.
The four conditionals
たら: the all-purpose spoken one, also “once” and discoveries. ば: the necessary condition, advice (どう すれば いい). と: the automatic consequence, never an intention after it. なら: you pick up a situation (often mentioned by the other person) to give advice.
| Sentence | The right choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 駅に 着い＿、電話して | たら | sequence + request |
| どう すれ＿ いいですか | ば | asking for advice |
| 春に なる＿、さくらが さく | と | natural consequence |
| 京都に 行く＿、秋が いい | なら | advice about what the other person said |
- この 道を 行くと、駅に 出ます。この みちを いくと、えきに でます。This street takes you to the station.
Common mistakes
- Saying “学生だなら”: after a noun or a な-adjective, it's 学生なら, 静かなら.
- Using なら for an automatic consequence: “この ボタンを おすなら、ドアが 開く” is wrong; it's おすと.
- Forgetting that なら often reacts to the other person: it's mainly for giving advice or an opinion on what's just been said.
8 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 N4 point is on the Chūō Line (Travelling) of the Osaka subway.