N4 · Conditions
The ば-form: what it takes
the conditional ば-form
A conjugated form that puts the weight on the condition: if A, then B.
ば is not a particle added to a finished word but a form of the verb or adjective itself. A godan verb moves its last sound from the u-row to the e-row and adds ば: 書く becomes 書けば, 待つ becomes 待てば. An ichidan verb replaces る with れば: 食べれば. する and 来る become すれば and 来れば.
Adjectives and the negative follow the i-adjective pattern: the final い becomes ければ. 高い gives 高ければ, and 行かない gives 行かなければ. A na-adjective or a noun has no ば-form of its own and uses なら or the more formal であれば.
What ば stresses is the condition: B happens if A happens, and the interest of the sentence is in A. 毎日練習すれば、上手になります is "if you practise every day, you will get good" — that is what it takes. This is also why どうすればいいですか, "what should I do?", is built on it: it asks which condition leads to a good result.
There is one restriction to learn. When the first half is a deliberate action, the second half cannot be a request, an invitation or an intention; that is the territory of たら. When the first half is a state — ある, いる, できる, an adjective, a negative — the restriction disappears: 時間があれば、手伝ってください is perfectly natural.
The form
stem (regular) stem (irregular) ending
| 書く, to write (godan) | 書けば |
| 待つ, to wait (godan) | 待てば |
| 買う, to buy (godan) | 買えば |
| 食べる, to eat (ichidan) | 食べれば |
| 見る, to see (ichidan) | 見れば |
| する, to do | すれば |
| 来る, to come | 来れば |
| 高い, expensive | 高ければ |
| いい, good | よければ |
| 行かない, not go | 行かなければ |
| na-adjective: quiet | 静かなら |
| noun: a student | 学生であれば |
The rules one by one
Godan verbs move the last sound to the e-row and add ば.
雨が降れば、試合は中止です。If it rains, the match is off.
Ichidan verbs, する and くる replace the final る with れば.
もっと早く寝れば、朝が楽になりますよ。If you go to bed earlier, mornings get easier.
i-adjectives and the negative ない change the final い to ければ; いい becomes よければ.
天気がよければ、富士山が見えます。If the weather is good, you can see Mount Fuji.
ば puts the weight on the condition: B happens if A does.
毎日練習すれば、上手になります。If you practise every day, you will get good.
After a state such as ある, いる or an adjective, the second half may be a request or a plan.
時間があれば、手伝ってください。If you have time, please help me.
A closer look
ばよかった: the road not taken
〜ばよかった is literally "if I had done it, it would have been good", and it is the everyday way to express regret: もっと勉強すればよかった, "I should have studied more". The speaker is looking back at a condition that was not met.
Turned the other way, 〜なければよかった regrets something that was done: あんなことを言わなければよかった, "I wish I had not said that". English needs "should have" or "wish"; Japanese builds it from the conditional and a judgement.
Exceptions and special cases (2)
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the adjective is いい
the ば-form is よければ, never いければ.
よければ、一緒に行きませんか。If you like, shall we go together?
いい is a spoken form of よい, and every form that changes its ending is built on the older よ-: よくない, よかった, よければ.
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the verb is 来る
the kanji is read く in くれば.
早く来れば、席があります。If you come early, there will be a seat.
The verb has three stems — き in 来ます, こ in 来ない, and く in the dictionary form and in 来れば — and the kanji does not show which one is meant.
How to spot it
- 〜ば
- 〜れば
- 〜ければ
- どうすればいい
- 〜ばよかった
Example sentences
安ければ、買います。If it is cheap, I will buy it.
この薬を飲めば、すぐ治りますよ。If you take this medicine, you will soon get better.
分からなければ、聞いてください。If you do not understand, please ask.
駅までどうやって行けばいいですか。How should I get to the station?
明日晴れれば、海に行きたいです。If it is fine tomorrow, I would like to go to the sea.
もう少し安ければ、買ったのに。If it had been a little cheaper, I would have bought it.
8 more example sentences
急げば、間に合います。If you hurry, you will make it.
漢字は何度も書けば、覚えられます。You can remember kanji if you write them many times.
鍵がなければ、部屋に入れません。Without a key, you cannot get into the room.
どうすればいいか、分かりません。I do not know what I should do.
駅から近ければ、家賃が高くてもいいです。If it is close to the station, I do not mind a higher rent.
右を見れば、海が見えます。If you look to the right, you can see the sea.
質問があれば、いつでもどうぞ。If you have any questions, ask any time.
もっと早く出ればよかったです。I should have left earlier.
Worth knowing (2)
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ばいい: asking what to do
〜ばいいですか asks for the right course of action, and 〜ばいいです gives one: "all you have to do is". It is softer than a command and more common in everyday speech than any grammar of "should".
このボタンを押せばいいですよ。You just need to press this button.
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Short forms in speech
In fast speech the ending often contracts: 行けば stays, but 行かなければ becomes 行かなきゃ and すれば can become すりゃ. Write the full form; recognise the short one when you hear it.
もう行かなきゃ。I have to go now.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The first half is a deliberate action, 行く, and the second is a request. ば does not allow that combination, because it presents B as the consequence of A rather than as something somebody is asked to do. たら has no such restriction and is the natural choice here.
ば names what it takes: do A, and B follows.
Your turn
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