Meaning
なら attaches to nouns to indicate a topic or conditional situation. It's used when the listener picks up on what the speaker mentioned and responds with their own opinion or evaluation about that specific topic. It can also express hypothetical conditions or alternatives.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 名词 | 名詞＋なら |
Examples
-
A:花見に 行きたいんですが、どこが いいですか。 B:花見なら、上野公園が いいと 思います。
A: I want to go cherry blossom viewing, but where would be good? B: When it comes to cherry blossoms, I think Ueno Park is nice. -
A:どんなスポーツが できますか。 B:野球は できないですが、サッカーなら できます。
A: What sports can you play? B: I can't play baseball, but if it's soccer, I can do it.
Summary
- なら picks up a noun topic that was just mentioned to respond with an opinion or evaluation
- It expresses conditions or alternatives by showing what applies to that specific case
- Attach なら directly to nouns (noun + なら) to indicate 'if it's...', 'when it comes to...', or 'as for...'