I see. We could use "tara-reba" when the result is not as good as we
expect. They said, "If I had more practiced...," "If there was no tree over there...," If
the ball flew a little bit to the right." How true! If there was no wind, the ball would
have gone much further. When you studied grammar, you learned subjunctive
forms, right? These forms are very similar to each other, so it is confusing.
I went to play golf with my colleagues, and we had a meal together afterward. One of them said, "motto
renshu--shiteitara..." and "asokoni ki ga nakereba...," and another person said, "mo- sukoshi migi ni
tobeba..." and a third person said, "honto kaze ga nakereba motto tondeita noni...." Ms. Hirayama,
is there a special golf style for conversations? Everyone used "tara-reba" in their sentence, and I could not
join in the conversation. I'm going to play golf again, so please tell me how to speak before I go.
 nara
to
tara
Condition
X Y
same result
to

(3) Narration: Describing the facts of a situation chronologically. (When
empathy is needed, "tara" is used.)
e.g., haha wa shigoto ga owaru to dekaketa
(When the mother finished her job, she went out.)
(1) Automatically: The result (Y) of general condition (X) "always" or
"certainly" occurs. Speculation is not called for.
Automatically

(2) Reality
e.g., tabesugiru to futoru (When you eat too much, you become fat.)
There are four Japanese forms, "tara / ba / nara / to," to indicate the subjunctive. The usages of these forms are very similar to each other, and each usage overlaps some of the other usages grammatically
and vary depending on one's occupation, locality, surroundings, gender and so on. Thus, it can be very complicated. If I try to explain everything at once, it will confuse you. So, I will only show you the typical
classifications, and you will learn how to use them in more detail in Vol. 85.
(always/certainly)
 Instruction: e.g., button o osu to monitor ga tsuku (When you press
the button, the monitor is turned on.)
 Giving directions: e.g., migi ni magaru to hashi ga aru (When you
turn right, you will see a bridge.)
 Natural phenomena/science: e.g., natsu ni naru to atsukunaru
(When the summer comes, it gets hotter.)
 Same results
1. General: e.g., sato- o ireru to amakunaru (When you put sugar
in it, it becomes sweeter.)
2. Personal: e.g., onaka ga suku to iraira suru (When I get
hungry, I get irritated easily.)
ba
........tara ........nara........ba
........to........tara ........nara........ba
........to
to

(1) Pick one: Judging or describing
by category
yasui
(2) Seesaw: Choosing by comparison
I will buy
Pick one
takai
3Playing catch: Playing catch in conversation
(Picking up what a speaker says, and
describing one's knowledge or opinion.)
e.g., Mr. A: Yada-san doko? (Where is Mr. Yada?)
Pick onee.g.,
 Selection: e.g., getsuyo-bi nara ikemasu (If it is Monday, I can go.)
 Introduction or suggestion: e.g., kome nara Nihon no ga oishi
-
desu
(If you want to eat rice, Japan's is excellent.)
 Answer with one example: e.g., sashimi nara tabeta koto ga
arimasu ("sashimi," I've tried eating it.)
 Of course: e.g., Nihon-jin nara kanji ga yomemasu
(If they are Japanese, they can read kanji.)
Cheap
yasui nara kaimasu
(If it is cheap, I will buy it.)
Mr. B: Yada-san nara yasumi desu
(If it is about Mr. Yada, he is on holiday.)
nara (2) Strong suggestion: Listener has no option.
(1) Hidden meaning: Although "ba" can be replaced by "tara," a
hidden meaning behind the reality is emphasized by using "ba."
(4) Proverbs:

(4) Unlikely dream: When something is highly unlikely
to become reality, "moshi (if)" is placed at the
beginning of the sentence.
e.g., (moshi) takarakuji ni atattara ageru ne
(If I win the lottery, I will give it to you!)
Reality / hidden
meaning
Supposition that is
different from reality
 okane ga attara kaemasu
(If I have money, I will buy it.) (There is no
hidden meaning, it is just supposition.)
e.g., okane ga areba kaemasu
(If only I had money, I would buy it.) (In reality,
he/she has no money.)
e.g., gakuse--jidai wa tomodachi to aeba uta no hanashi o shita
(When I was a student, I talked about songs with my friend
whenever I saw him.)
e.g., san nin yoreba monju no chie (Two heads are better than one.)
ba
Talking about a future event while in the present. When talking about the
future, "tara" is most frequently used among " tara / ba / nara / to."
Future trip
in the FuturePresent

(Jump to the future)
(2) Advice: e.g., do- shitara i
desu
ka? (What should I do?)
e.g., kaettara mail no
check o shimasu
(1) Future trip: Future / Hope / Emergency / Happening
/ Advice / As soon as / ___ then ___, etc.
(3) Weak suggestion: Listener has an option.
e.g., sukoshi yasundara?
(Why don't you take a rest?)
tara
(When I get home, I will
check my e-mails.)
(5) Surprise (when surprised) / Emergency / Discovery!
e.g., jishin ga okitara hi o keshimasu
(When an earthquake strikes, I extinguish
any open flames.)

ba
(3) Past habit
e.g., kore ni sureba (Why don't you take this one?) (In reality, he or
she must take it.)
Expensive

With cooperation from Yasuhiro Koga
Copyright 2008 The Yomiuri Shimbun
Design:MasakoBan
5-minute Japanese Class by Hitomi Hirayama