部
Components

Grammar detail: なら conditional form

なら conditional form - (verbs, adjectives, nouns) if
Tweet
113 words
My current mastery of this grammar point:
LOG IN to view grammar mastery data
Grammar games:
GRAMMAR MATCH
SENTENCE BUILDER
BOOST
なら is a conditional form, and in general it can be translated as 'if'. It is often used to make suggestions or offer advice.
Usage:
verb + (の) + なら
- see verb なら conditional form - if.
adjective + (の) + なら
noun + なら
The most common use of なら is as a straightforward conditional meaning 'if':
わたし
私
の
たちば
立場
なら、どうしますか。
If you were in my place, what would you do?
あたら
新
しい
じてんしゃ
自転車
が
ほ
欲
しいのなら
ちょきん
貯金
しなさい。
If you want a new bike, you'd better start saving up.
しりつ
私立
だいがく
大学
なら、
い
行
きたくない。
If it's a private university, I don't want to go there.
ゆうがた
夕方
なら
い
行
けると
おも
思
います。
If it's the evening I think I can come.
A common casual usage of なら is to offer a suggestion for what to do on visiting somewhere:
おおさか
大阪
ならお
この
好
み
や
焼
き！
If you go to Osaka, try okonomiyaki!
Another typical usage is to phrase a request as a suggestion.
わたし
私
のタイプライターを
つか
使
うのなら、
ひとこと
一言
そういえばいいのに。
You might ask before you use my typewriter.
ここならもっとよく
み
見
えるよ。
You can get a better look over here.
The なら conditional is one of the three common conditional forms (the others are the たら and the ば forms).
MORE EXAMPLES
LOG IN to view flashcard data
See also:

Kanji used in this grammar

私
シ   わたくし    わたし I, myself   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
立
リツ   リュウ   たつ to stand   たてる to build   
場
ジョウ   ば place   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
新
シン   あたらしい    あらた    にい- new   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
自
ジ   シ   みずから self   
転
テン   ころがる to roll (intr.)   ころがす to roll (tr.)   ころげる to roll about   ころぶ to fall over   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
車
シャ   くるま car   
欲
ヨク   ほしい want   ほっする to want   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
貯
チョ    savings   ためる to save   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
金
キン   コン   かね gold; money   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
大
ダイ   タイ   おおきい big   おおいに very much   おお-    
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
学
ガク   まなぶ to learn   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
行
コウ   ギョウ   アン   ゆく    いく to go   おこなう to take place   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
夕
セキ   ゆう night   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
方
ホウ   かた way, direction   
思
シ   おもう to think   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
阪
ハン   slope
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
好
コウ   このむ    すく to like   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
焼
ショウ   やく to roast, bake, burn   やける to be burnt   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
使
シ   つかう to use   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
一
イチ   イツ   ひとつ    ひと- one   
言
ゲン   ゴン   say; word   こと word, saying   いう to say   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
見
ケン   みる to see   みえる to be seen; to appear   みせる to show   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
Problem with this grammar? Question or comment? Please CONTACT US.
×