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Activities: "Conditionals: How to say “if” in Japanese?"

By: Masaru Mito
Associated Articles

These activities are part of our Japanese Grammar series. The skills we are practicing here are covered in our article:

Activity 1: Complete the sentences

Part 1: 〜たら

Complete the following sentences using 〜たら.

  • Condition: 夏休みになる[natsuyasumi ni naru](summer break starts (lit., becomes))

    たら、旅行したいです。
    ___ tara, ryokō shitai desu.
    When the summer break starts, I want to travel.

  • Condition: 寒い[samui](cold)

    たら、ジャケットを着ます。
    ___ tara, jaketto o kimasu.
    If it’s cold, I will wear a jacket.

Part 2: 〜ば

Complete the following sentences using 〜ば.

  • Condition: この薬を飲む[kono kusuri o nomu](to take this medicine)

    ば、元気になりますよ。
    ___ ba, genki ni narimasu yo.
    If you take this medicine, you will get better.

  • Condition: 人が多い[hito ga ōi](a lot of people)

    ば、仕事が早く終わります。
    ___ ba, shigoto ga hayaku owarimasu.
    If (we have) a lot of people, we can finish work early.

  • Condition: 18歳以下[jūhassai ika](18 years old and under)

    ば、この映画は見られません。
    ___ ba, kono eiga wa miraremasen.
    If you’re 18 years old or under, you cannot watch this movie.

  • Condition: 勉強しない[benkyō shinai](not study)

    ば、テストでいい点は取れません。
    ___ba, tesuto de ii ten wa toremasen.
    If you don’t study, you won’t be able to do well on the test.

Part 3: 〜と

Complete the following sentences using 〜と.

  • Condition: クリスマスが近づく[kurisumasu ga chikazuku](Christmas approaches)

    と、お店はいそがしくなります。
    ___ to, omise wa isogashiku narimasu.
    When Christmas approaches, stores get busy.

  • Condition: 部屋がきれい[heya ga kirei](a room is clean)

    と、気持ちがいいです。
    ___ to, kimochi ga ii desu.
    If the room is clean, it feels good.

Part 4: 〜なら

Complete the following sentences using 〜なら.

  • Condition: 道が混んでいる[michi ga konde iru](the traffic is bad)

    なら、早く家を出た方がいいです。
    ___ nara, hayaku ie o deta hō ga ii desu.
    If the traffic is bad, you should leave the house early.

  • Condition: 頭が痛い[atama ga itai](to have a headache)

    なら、今日は仕事を休んだ方がいいですよ。
    ___ nara, kyō wa shigoto o yasunda hō ga iidesu yo.
    If you have a headache, you should take a day off from work today.

Activity 2: Pick the correct form

Choose the appropriate option in each set of parentheses.

  • 海に ( !行くなら!行ったら )、タオルを持って行った方がいいですよ。
    Umi ni (iku nara/itta ra), taoru o motte itta hō ga ii desu yo.
    If you go to the beach, you should bring towels.
  • 家に ( !着くなら!着いたら )、電話して下さい。
    Ie ni (tsuku nara/tsuita ra), denwa shite kudasai.
    When you get home, please call (me).
  • 週末 ( !勉強するなら!勉強すると )、一緒にしませんか。
    Shūmatsu (benkyō suru nara/benkyō suru to), issho ni shimasen ka.
    If you study on the weekend, do you want to study together?
  • 晩ご飯を ( !食べたら!食べれば )、映画を見ましょう。
    Bangohan o (tabeta ra/tabereba), eiga o mimashō.
    After we eat dinner, let’s watch a movie.
  • 山田さんが ( !いれば!いると )、この試合は勝てたかもしれません。
    Yamada san ga (ireba/iru to), kono shiai wa kateta kamo shiremasen.
    If Mr. Yamada had been (on the team), we might have won this game.
  • 久しぶりに地元に ( !帰ったら!帰れば )、新しい店がたくさんできていました。
    Hisashiburi ni jimoto ni (kaetta ra/kaereba), atarashii mise ga takusan dekite imashita.
    When I returned to my hometown after a long time, (I found that) many new stores had opened up.
  • 日本に留学 ( !したら!して )、日本語をたくさん話しました。
    Nihon ni ryūgaku (shita ra/shite), nihongo o takusan hanashimasita.
    I studied abroad in Japan and spoke Japanese a lot.
  • 昨日メール ( !するなら!したなら )、今日中に返事が来ると思いますよ。
    Kinō mēru (suru nara/shita nara), kyō jū ni henji ga kuru to omoimasu yo.
    If you sent an email yesterday, I think you will receive a response by the end of today.

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