N4 · Conditions
なら: if that is so, given the topic
the conditional なら
Takes up what was just said and comments on it: if that is the case, then.
なら follows a plain form of a verb or i-adjective (行くなら, 寒いなら) and comes straight after a noun or the stem of a na-adjective, with no だ: 明日なら, 暇なら. It does not change its shape.
Where the other conditionals describe a sequence of events, なら describes a premise. It usually picks up something the listener has just said or plainly intends: "you are going to Kyoto? — if you are going to Kyoto, go in autumn". The second half is the speaker's advice, opinion or decision about that premise.
Because it is a premise and not an event, なら ignores the order of time. 京都に行くなら、ガイドブックを買ったほうがいいです means buying the guidebook before you go — something たら cannot say, since たら always puts B after A. To speak about after the event, the verb itself goes into the past: 行ったなら.
With a noun, なら can simply mean "as for X" or "if it is X you want": ラーメンなら、あの店がおいしいですよ. This topic-picking use is extremely common in conversation. What なら cannot do is state a general law; "if you heat water it boils" is と or ば.
The form
| verb, plain | 行くなら |
| verb, plain past | 行ったなら |
| verb, negative | 行かないなら |
| i-adjective | 寒いなら |
| na-adjective (no だ) | 暇なら |
| noun (no だ) | 明日なら |
The rules one by one
Nouns and na-adjectives take なら directly, without だ.
暇なら、手伝ってください。If you are free, please give me a hand.
なら takes up what someone has said or plans, and the second half comments on it.
京都に行くなら、秋がいいですよ。If you are going to Kyoto, autumn is a good time.
B may come before A: advice about what to do in advance needs なら.
車を運転するなら、お酒は飲まないでください。If you are going to drive, please do not drink.
After a noun, なら can mean "as for" or "if it is X you want".
寿司なら、この店が一番です。For sushi, this place is the best.
なら is not used for natural laws or automatic results.
雨が降ると、道が濡れます。When it rains, the road gets wet.
A closer look
のなら and んなら
In speech なら often appears as のなら or, more casually, んなら: 行くんなら、早く言ってよ, "if you are going, say so sooner". The の is the same explanatory の as in んです, and it underlines that the speaker is reacting to a situation they have just learned about.
それなら, "in that case", works the same way across two sentences and is the usual reply to new information: 「明日は休みです。」「それなら、一緒に出かけましょう。」 In casual speech だったら and じゃあ do the same job.
How to spot it
- 〜なら
- それなら
- 〜のなら
- 〜んなら
Example sentences
日本語を勉強するなら、この辞書がいいですよ。If you are going to study Japanese, this dictionary is good.
疲れているなら、今日は早く寝たほうがいいです。If you are tired, you had better go to bed early tonight.
田中さんなら、さっき会議室にいましたよ。Ms Tanaka? She was in the meeting room a moment ago.
嫌なら、無理に食べなくてもいいです。If you do not like it, you do not have to eat it.
明日なら、午後は空いています。Tomorrow I am free in the afternoon.
パソコンを買うなら、今月のセールを待ったほうがいいです。If you are buying a computer, you had better wait for this month's sale.
7 more example sentences
駅まで歩くなら、二十分ぐらいかかります。If you walk to the station, it takes about twenty minutes.
寒いなら、このセーターを着てください。If you are cold, put this jumper on.
あなたがそう言うなら、信じます。If you say so, I believe you.
英語なら少し話せます。English, I can speak a little.
結婚式に出るなら、白い服は避けたほうがいいです。If you are going to a wedding, it is best to avoid white clothes.
行かないなら、早めに連絡してください。If you are not going, please let me know in good time.
本を探しているなら、三階です。If you are looking for books, they are on the third floor.
Worth knowing (1)
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The tense inside なら
The tense inside the なら clause decides the timing that the second half refers to. 行くなら is "if you are going (so do this beforehand)"; 行ったなら is "if you have been (then tell me how it was)". English marks the same difference with "are going" and "have been".
北海道に行ったなら、写真を見せてください。If you have been to Hokkaido, please show me your photos.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Other patterns teach that a na-adjective needs だ before a grammatical ending — 暇だと, 暇だったら — so だなら looks consistent. But なら grew out of a form of だ itself, and putting だ in front would say it twice.
なら answers what was just said: if that is so, here is my advice.
Your turn
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