たら
tara
If, after, when
A conditional that sets up a condition or sequence, meaning 'if', 'after', or 'when'.
How to form it
Attach to the plain past tense form of verbs and adjectives (e.g., 行ったら, 食べたら, 高かったら), and to the noun + だった form (e.g., 学生だったら).
What it means
たら is a very common conditional in everyday Japanese. It expresses a condition or a sequence: if A happens, then B; or after A happens, B. It's often used when you want to say 'when' for a specific event, like 'when I get there' or 'after I eat'. It's also used for advice with いいです, like 'You should...' (literally, 'if you do X, it's good').
Unlike ば and と, たら emphasizes the completion or occurrence of the first action. It's also more flexible: you can use it with states, events, and even suggestions. In speech, it's very common and friendly. Just remember to use the past tense form as the base, which is why it feels like 'if it happened'.
Example sentences
東京に行ったら、友達に会います。
Tōkyō ni ittara, tomodachi ni aimasu.
When I go to Tokyo, I will meet my friend.
時間があったら、映画を見たいです。
Jikan ga attara, eiga o mitai desu.
If I have time, I want to watch a movie.
安かったら、買います。
Yasukattara, kaimasu.
If it's cheap, I'll buy it.
Don’t confuse it with
と (conditional)
たら is for specific, one-time events or advice, while と is for natural consequences or habitual results. For example, 春になったら、花が咲く (when spring comes, flowers bloom) vs. 春になると、花が咲く (spring comes and flowers bloom, as a rule). For advice, use たら (e.g., 早く寝たらいいです).
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Neutral and widely used in both speaking and writing; very natural in conversation.
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What does たら mean?
If, after, when. A conditional that sets up a condition or sequence, meaning 'if', 'after', or 'when'.
How do you form たら?
Attach to the plain past tense form of verbs and adjectives (e.g., 行ったら, 食べたら, 高かったら), and to the noun + だった form (e.g., 学生だったら).
Example of たら in a sentence
東京に行ったら、友達に会います。 — When I go to Tokyo, I will meet my friend.
と (conditional) — what is the difference?
たら is for specific, one-time events or advice, while と is for natural consequences or habitual results. For example, 春になったら、花が咲く (when spring comes, flowers bloom) vs. 春になると、花が咲く (spring comes and flowers bloom, as a rule). For advice, use たら (e.g., 早く寝たらいいです).
What JLPT level is たら?
JLPT N4 (upper beginner), number 14 of 131 in Nihoner's learning order for N4.
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