Chinese has just one word for "if," but Japanese has several. Don't panic though — at the N4 level, mastering just two is enough: ば and なら.
The Basic Logic of Conditionals
A conditional sentence = condition in the front, result in the back. The result only happens if the condition is met.
山田さんが行けば私も行く。 → If Yamada goes, I'll go too.
The first half is the condition (Yamada goes), the second half is the result (I'll go too).
ば: If the Condition Is Met, Then...
How to Conjugate
ば attaches to the conditional form (仮定形) of verbs:
| Verb Type | Dictionary Form | Conditional + ば |
|---|---|---|
| Godan | 行く | 行けば |
| Godan | 読む | 読めば |
| Ichidan | 食べる | 食べれば |
| カ変 | 来る | 来れば (くれば) |
| サ変 | する | すれば |
Godan verbs: Change the う-row to え-row + ば. Ichidan verbs: Drop る + れば.
Adjectives can also take ば:
| Type | Original | With ば |
|---|---|---|
| い-adjective | 寒い | 寒ければ |
| な-adjective | 静かだ | 静かであれば |
Examples
-
寒くなければ行きます。 → If it's not cold, I'll go.
-
日本語を勉強すれば面白くなります。 → If you study Japanese, it'll become interesting.
-
行けば分かる。 → Go and you'll see.
ば's Personality: Symmetrical Conditions
The key trait of ば is "if-then symmetry" — if A then B, if not A then not B.
勉強すれば受かる。 → If you study, you'll pass. (If you don't study, you won't pass.)
ば～ほど: The More... The More...
ば has a fixed pattern — the more... the more...:
-
お金が多ければ多いほどいいです。 → The more money, the better.
-
練習すればするほどうまくなる。 → The more you practice, the better you get.
Structure: verb/adjective conditional form + ば + same word in dictionary form + ほど.
なら: If It's the Case That...
How to Conjugate
なら attaches directly to the word — very simple:
| Conjugation | Example |
|---|---|
| Verb dictionary form + なら | 買うなら |
| い-adjective + なら | 安いなら |
| な-adjective + なら | 静かなら |
| Noun + なら | 雨なら |
Examples
-
ケイタイを買うならこの店の方が安いです。 → If you're buying a phone, this store is cheaper.
-
もし明日雨ならピクニックに行きません。 → If it rains tomorrow, we won't go on a picnic.
-
日本へ行くなら、春がいいですよ。 → If you're going to Japan, spring is the best time.
なら's Personality: Giving Advice
なら is perfect for "if you're going to do X, I suggest Y" scenarios:
引っ越すなら、駅の近くがいいよ。 → If you're moving, near the station is a good bet.
ば vs なら: How to Choose?
| ば | なら | |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | Condition met → result | If that's the case → advice/judgment |
| Nuance | Objective, cause-and-effect | Subjective, offering opinions |
| Typical use | General conditions, proverbs | Giving advice, hypothetical situations |
| Example | 行けば分かる | 行くなら早い方がいい |
In short:
- Talking about objective cause-and-effect (if you do it, then...) → use ば
- Want to give advice or set up a hypothetical → use なら
Self-Test
Q1. 「＿＿ 分かります。」(Go and you'll understand)
Show answer
行けば. ば expresses "if the condition is met, the result follows" — go and you'll know.
Q2. 「パソコンを買う＿＿、このブランドがいいですよ。」(If you're buying a computer, this brand is good)
Show answer
なら. This is giving advice — "if you're going to buy one, I recommend this brand."
Q3. 「日本語は勉強＿＿＿＿上手になる。」(The more you study Japanese, the better you get)
Show answer
すればするほど. This is the ば～ほど fixed pattern — "the more... the more..."
Summary
- ば = if the condition is met, then... (objective, symmetrical conditions)
- なら = if that's the case... (hypothetical situations, great for giving advice)
- ば～ほど = the more... the more...
- At N4, master these two first; learn たら and と at N3/N2