Meaning
~ものなら attaches to either the potential form or volitional form of verbs to express hypothetical conditions. When used with the potential form, it expresses strong desires for impossible situations in reality. When used with the volitional form, it suggests that if an action were to happen, it would result in unpleasant consequences or unexpected outcomes.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 動詞可能形 | ものなら／もんなら |
| 動詞意志形 | ものなら／もんなら |
Examples
-
記憶を消せるものならあの日の記憶を消してしまいたい。
If I could erase memories, I would erase the memories of that day. -
そんなことをしようものなら、彼は相当怒るだろう。
If he were to do such a thing, he would probably get quite angry. -
もし何でも願いがかなうものなら、まず宇宙船に乗ってみたい。
If any wish could come true, I would first want to ride in a spaceship. -
彼女が一生懸命作った料理に文句を言おうものなら、きっと彼女を傷つけてしまう。
If you were to complain about the meal she made with such effort, you would surely hurt her feelings. -
山下君にあんな重要な仕事を任せようものなら、彼はおおざっぱだから、またミスをするだろう。
If we were to entrust such an important task to Yamashita, he would probably make mistakes again since he's so careless. -
次の夏休み、旅行に行けるものなら、ヨーロッパに行きたいなあ。ただ、卒業論文を書かなければならないので、夏休み中は図書館で過ごしかない。
If I could go on a trip next summer vacation, I'd love to go to Europe. However, since I have to write my graduation thesis, I'll probably have to spend the whole vacation at the library.
Summary
- Use potential form + ものなら to express strong desire for impossible situations in reality
- Use volitional form + ものなら to predict unpleasant consequences if an action were to occur
- Both forms create hypothetical scenarios; the difference lies in whether expressing desire or warning about consequences