Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
A conditional form meaning “if,” “when,” or “after (a condition is met).”
🎯 Primary Function
To link a completed action or state (A) to a resultant action, state, or consequence (B). It emphasizes that A is the necessary predecessor to B.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb Past Tense (た-form) + ら (e.g., 行ったら)
i-adjective stem + かったら (e.g., 寒かったら)
Na-adjective stem/Noun + だったら (e.g., 静かだったら / 学生だったら)
Past negative form (なかったら / くなかったら) (e.g., 食べなかったら)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used in formal settings, though its formality relies on the conjugation of the verbs before and after ‘たら.’ (e.g., いたします/でございます forms).
Informal Situations
Extremely common and natural in casual conversation for making plans or stating conditions.
Written Language
Used in all forms of writing, from casual notes to formal reports, to express conditions.
Spoken Language
One of the most frequently used conditional forms in spoken Japanese.
💡 Common Applications
Stating a Hypothetical Condition
Used to express a condition and the resulting consequence or situation. It is the most common and versatile way to express “if” in spoken Japanese.
Example: もし雨が降ったら、試合は中止になります。(Moshi ame ga futtara, shiai wa chūshi ni narimasu.) – If it rains, the game will be canceled.
Expressing Completion and Subsequent Action
Highlights that the first action (getting home) must be completed before the second action (contacting) can take place. Often translates to “when” or “after.”
Example: 家に帰ったら、すぐ連絡します。(Ie ni kaettara, sugu renraku shimasu.) – When (after) I get home, I will contact you immediately.
Giving Advice, Requests, or Commands
Unlike the conditional ‘と,’ ‘たら’ can be followed by volitional forms (ましょう), requests (て ください), or commands.
Example: 疲れたら、休んでください。(Tsukaretara, yasunde kudasai.) – If you are tired, please rest.
Frequency
Very High
Difficulty
JLPT N4
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Example Sentences
Example #1
お金があったら、海外に旅行したいです。
Furigana: おかねが あったら、かいがいに りょこうしたいです。
Romaji: Okane ga attara, kaigai ni ryokō shitai desu.
English: If I have money, I want to travel abroad.
Example #2
春になったら、花が咲きます。
Furigana: はるに なったら、はなが さきます。
Romaji: Haru ni nattara, hana ga sakimasu.
English: When spring comes, the flowers bloom.
Example #3
明日天気が悪かったら、ピクニックを延期しましょう。
Furigana: あした てんきが わるかったら、ピクニックを えんきしましょう。
Romaji: Ashita tenki ga warukattara, pikunikku o enki shimashō.
English: If the weather is bad tomorrow, let’s postpone the picnic.
Example #4
本を読み終わったら、私に返してください。
Furigana: ほんを よみおわったら、わたしに かえしてください。
Romaji: Hon o yomiowattara, watashi ni kaeshite kudasai.
English: If you finish reading the book, please return it to me.
Example #5
ドアを開けたら、突然猫が入ってきました。
Furigana: ドアを あけたら、とつぜん ねこが はいってきました。
Romaji: Doa o aketara, totsuzen neko ga haitte kimashita.
English: When I opened the door, a cat suddenly ran in.
Example #6
寿司屋が開いていたら、そこで晩ご飯を食べましょう。
Furigana: すしやが あいていたら、そこで ばんごはんを たべましょう。
Romaji: Sushiya ga aite itara, soko de bangohan o tabemashō.
English: If the sushi shop is open, let’s eat dinner there.
Example #7
答えがわからなかったら、先生に聞いてください。
Furigana: こたえが わからなかったら、せんせいに きいてください。
Romaji: Kotae ga wakaranakattara, sensei ni kiite kudasai.
English: If you don’t know the answer, please ask the teacher.
Example #8
デザインがシンプルだったら、良いと思います。
Furigana: デザインが シンプルだったら、いいと おもいます。
Romaji: Dezain ga shinpuru dattara, ii to omoimasu.
English: If the design is simple, I think it’s better.
Example #9
電車に乗ったら、だいたい一時間かかります。
Furigana: でんしゃに のったら、だいたい いちじかん かかります。
Romaji: Densha ni nottara, daitai ichijikan kakarimasu.
English: If you take the train, it will take about an hour.
Example #10
郵便局に行ったら、切手を買ってきてください。
Furigana: ゆうびんきょくに いったら、きってを かってきてください。
Romaji: Yūbinkyoku ni ittara, kitte o katte kite kudasai.
English: When you go to the post office, please buy a stamp for me.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Expression of Discovery or Unexpected Result
‘たら’ is frequently used to express an unexpected discovery or result that occurred upon completing the first action. This function is often described as “when [A] happened, [B] unexpectedly occurred.”
Example: まどを開けたら、涼しい風が入ってきた。(Mado o aketara, suzushii kaze ga haitte kita.)
Compatibility with Requests and Commands
Because ‘たら’ emphasizes the completion of the condition, it is the only major conditional form (among と, ば, and なら) that can be followed by expressions of volition, requests, commands, or suggestions.
Example: もし時間があったら、手伝ってくれますか。(Moshi jikan ga attara, tetsudatte kuremasu ka.)
Future/Hypothetical Condition
When discussing a hypothetical event in the future (e.g., “If/When you come to Japan”), ‘たら’ is the most common and natural choice.
Example: 日本に来たら、ぜひ連絡してください。(Nihon ni kitara, zehi renraku shite kudasai.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 東京に行くと、スカイツリーに行きたいです。(Tōkyō ni iku to, Skytree ni ikitai desu.)
✅ Use と for general truths and automatic consequences.
Students often confuse ‘たら’ with ‘と.’ ‘たら’ is for specific, non-automatic conditions or future completed actions, while ‘と’ is for automatic or universal results (e.g., If you turn the key, the engine starts).
❌ 暇なら、映画を見ましょう。 (Hima nara, eiga o mimashō.) *Using な-form + ら instead of だったら for a condition.
✅ Attach ‘たら’ directly to the past tense (た-form).
Forgetting the ‘た’ form and attaching ‘ら’ directly to the verb stem (e.g., *行きら) is incorrect. The past tense conjugation is essential.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral. The politeness is determined by the main clause (e.g., using ください or ます). ‘たら’ itself does not change the register.
Social Situations: Ideal for making polite suggestions, proposing plans, or setting expectations in social and professional environments.
Regional Variations: The structure is standard Japanese. Some regional dialects might substitute ‘たら’ with different particles or use contracted forms, but ‘たら’ is universally understood.
🔍 Subtle Differences
たら vs. と (to)
たら: Focuses on the completion of a specific, non-automatic condition. と: Focuses on an automatic, habitual, or universal consequence.
When to use: Use たら when making a specific plan, request, or expressing an unexpected result. Use と for scientific facts or directions.
たら vs. ば (ba)
たら: More natural for specific future conditions and is compatible with requests/commands. ば: More formal and often used for general, logical conditions or expressions of speaker desire.
When to use: Use たら in daily conversation. Use ば in essays or when the condition is purely logical or hypothetical in a general sense.
たら vs. なら (nara)
たら: The condition is the main topic. なら: Used to state a condition based on something the listener has just said (re-stating the topic or limiting the scope).
When to use: Use たら for a general “if/when.” Use なら to provide advice or an opinion specific to the topic just mentioned.
📝 Conjugation Notes
The ‘たら’ form is grammatically derived from the past tense of the preceding word (verb/adjective/noun) by adding ‘ら.’ For verbs, it is the ‘た’ form (e.g., 食べる -> 食べたら). For i-adjectives, it is the ‘かった’ form (e.g., 寒い -> 寒かったら). For na-adjectives/nouns, it is the ‘だった’ form (e.g., 綺麗だ -> 綺麗だったら).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The ‘ら’ is pronounced as a simple tap sound (like the ‘tt’ in ‘butter’ in American English) and is not stressed. Ensure the vowel sound before ‘ら’ (a, i, u, e, o) is clearly formed based on the preceding past tense ending.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ‘たら’ as being derived from ‘た’ (past tense), which helps reinforce the idea that the condition must be ‘completed’ or ‘finished’ before the consequence can occur. ‘た’ (past/completed) + ‘ら’ (if/when).
Other Grammar
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