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Grammar detail: なら conditional form

なら conditional form  (verbs, adjectives, nouns) if
113 words
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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
たちば
立場
ならどうします
If you were in my place, what would you do?
あたら
しい
じてんしゃ
自転車
しい
なら
ちょきん
貯金
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
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
ける
おも
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
この

If you go to Osaka, try okonomiyaki!
Another typical usage is to phrase a request as a suggestion.
わたし
タイプライター
つか
使
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
える

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).
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Kanji used in this grammar

シ   わたくし    わたし I, myself   
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リツ   リュウ   た to stand   たてる to build   
ジョウ   ば place   
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シン   あたらしい    あら    にい- new   
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ジ   シ   みずか self   
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 to fall over   
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シャ   くるま car   
ヨク   ほしい want   ほっする to want   
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チョ    savings   
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キン   コン   かね gold; money   
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ダイ   タイ   おおきい big   おおいに very much   おお-    
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ガク   まな to learn   
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コウ   ギョウ   アン   ゆ    い to go   おこな to take place   
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セキ   ゆう night   
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ホウ   かた way, direction   
シ   おも to think   
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ハン   slope
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コウ   この    す to like   
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ショウ   や to roast, bake, burn   やける to be burnt   
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使
シ   つか to use   
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イチ   イツ   ひと    ひと- one   
ゲン   ゴン   say; word   こと word, saying   い to say   
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ケン   み to see   みえる to be seen; to appear   みせる to show   
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