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Japanese 〜たら: The Most Useful “If” and “When” (GENKI Lesson 17)

The Training Hall (Beginner) Updated Published 10 min read

Japanese has several ways to say “if”: と, ば, なら and たら. If you can learn only one, learn 〜たら. It works in almost every situation, and you can put requests, invitations and plans after it. You learn it in GENKI Lesson 17.

  • How to make the たら form
  • “If …” and “when / after …”
  • Discoveries: “When I …, (I found that) …”
  • Advice with 〜たらどうですか
  • たら vs と, ば and なら
The hiragana reading is shown under each sentence. Turn readings off to test yourself.
Contents
  1. How to make 〜たら
  2. Use 1: “If …”
  3. Use 2: “When / after …”
  4. Use 3: Discoveries
  5. Use 4: Advice with 〜たらどうですか
  6. たら vs と, ば and なら
  7. Final check: 10 questions
  8. What’s next
  9. Practice speaking with a real teacher

How to make 〜たら

Take the past short form and add ら. If you know the た form, you already know たら.

TypePast short formたら form
verb行ったいった行ったらいったら
verb (negative)行かなかったいかなかった行かなかったらいかなかったら
い-adjective安かったやすかった安かったらやすかったら
な-adjective暇だったひまだった暇だったらひまだったら
noun雨だったあめだった雨だったらあめだったら

Use 1: “If …”

Something that may or may not happen. You can add もし (if) at the beginning for emphasis.

（もし）あした あめが ふったら、しあいは ちゅうしです。If it rains tomorrow, the game will be canceled.
じかんが あったら、りょこうに いきたいです。If I have time, I want to go on a trip.
たからくじが あたったら、いえを かいます。If I win the lottery, I’ll buy a house.
やすかったら、かいます。If it’s cheap, I’ll buy it.

Use 2: “When / after …”

Something that will happen. The second part happens after the first is finished.

えきに ついたら、でんわして ください。When you get to the station, please call me.
しごとが おわったら、すぐ かえります。When I finish work, I’ll go straight home.
あめが やんだら、でかけよう。When the rain stops, let’s go out.
Why たら is so useful

After たら, you can use requests (〜てください), invitations (〜ましょう), wishes (〜たい) and plans. Many other “if” forms can’t do this.

Use 3: Discoveries

When the second part is in the past, たら means “When I did A, (I found / it turned out) B.” B is often a surprise.

でんきを つけたら、だれも いませんでした。When I turned on the light, there was no one there.
かれに たのんだら、ことわられました。When I asked him, he said no.
くすりを のんだら、げんきに なりました。I took some medicine, and I got better.

Use 4: Advice with 〜たらどうですか

〜たらどうですか means “Why don’t you …?” It is a friendly suggestion (GENKI Lesson 14). Casually: 〜たら？

つかれているなら、すこし やすんだら どうですか。If you’re tired, why don’t you rest a little?
せんせいに きいてみたら？Why don’t you ask the teacher? (casual)

たら vs と, ば and なら

FormMain useRequest / invitation after it?
たらIf, when, discoveries. The most flexible.Yes
とAlways / naturally: 春になると、暖かくなる (When spring comes, it gets warm).No
ばGeneral conditions: 安ければ買います (If it’s cheap, I’ll buy it).Only in some cases
ならPicking up a topic: 京都なら、清水寺がいい (If it’s Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera is good).Yes

If you are not sure which one to use, たら is usually a safe choice. Learn なら in GENKI Lesson 13.

“Even if” is different

For “even if,” use 〜ても, not たら: 雨が降っても、行きます (Even if it rains, I’ll go).

Final check: 10 questions

Get 8 or more right, and you can use たら with confidence!

What’s next

Practice speaking with a real teacher

“What would you do if …?” questions make great conversation practice. Ask a teacher: 宝くじが当たったら、何をしますか。 On italki, you can find teachers who use GENKI and book a short trial lesson.

Find a Japanese teacher on italki

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