〜たら — If / when

Level: N4 · Module: Grammar Patterns · 2 practice questions

Conditional: if/when X happens

Explanation

〜たら = "if/when". Form: past plain + ら. Verbs: たべた+ら, adjectives: たかかった+ら, nouns: だった+ら.

Usage: The most flexible conditional: it can mean "if", "when", or a casual suggestion. Formation: past plain form + ら (たべたら, いったら, やすかったら, だったら).

Formation: Take the past tense plain form and add ら: 食べた becomes 食べたら, 行った becomes 行ったら, い adjective 高い becomes 高かったら, noun or な adjective 学生 becomes 学生だったら.

Usage & nuance: 〜たら means if or when. It is the most flexible conditional because it attaches to verbs, adjectives, and nouns alike. It often introduces a one-time condition and a result the speaker controls, as in 雨が降ったら行きません. When the result is a past event, it can mean when it turned out that.

Compare: 〜たら vs 〜ば. 〜ば suits general truths and conditions (勉強すれば分かる), while 〜たら suits specific, real situations and often carries a sense of after that. 〜たら can follow the result clause naturally, but 〜ば cannot follow a request or invitation.

हिंदी में समझें

〜たら = "अगर/जब"। रूप: भूतकाल सामान्य + ら। क्रिया: たべたら, विशेषण: たかかったら, संज्ञा: だったら।

Examples

  • あめがふったら、いえにいます。 (Ame ga futtara, ie ni imasu.)
    हिंदी: अगर बारिश हुई तो घर में रहूँगा।
    English: If it rains, I will stay home.
  • ひまだったら、えいがをみましょう。 (Hima dattara, eiga o mimashou.)
    हिंदी: अगर खाली हो तो फिल्म देखते हैं।
    English: If you are free, let's watch a movie.
  • みせについたら、でんわしてください。 (Mise ni tsuitara, denwa shite kudasai.)
    हिंदी: दुकान पहुँचकर फ़ोन कर दीजिए।
    English: When you arrive at the shop, please call me.
  • 雨が降ったら、家にいます。 (Ame ga futtara, ie ni imasu.)
    हिंदी: अगर बारिश हो तो घर पर रहूँगा।
    English: If it rains, I will stay home.
  • 駅に着いたら、電話してください。 (Eki ni tsuitara, denwa shite kudasai.)
    हिंदी: स्टेशन पहुँचने पर फ़ोन कीजिए।
    English: Please call me when you arrive at the station.

Common mistakes

  • あめがふるたら → あめがふったら — Use past plain form before ら.

Practice this topic

Test your understanding with 2 questions on 〜たら — If / when.