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〜たら

if, when, once

Verb / adjective た-form + ら · Noun / な-adj + だったら

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たら is the た-form plus ら, and it's the most flexible conditional: when unsure which one to use, たら is usually safe.

It covers "if": 雨が降ったら中止です, "if it rains, it's off". It also covers "once, when": 家に帰ったら電話します, "I'll call when I get home". Here A must happen first, and B can be a request, a plan or an invitation, which ば and と don't allow.

In the past, it describes a discovery: 窓を開けたら、雪が降っていた, "when I opened the window, it was snowing".

Nouns and な-adjectives use だったら: 暇だったら, "if you're free". And the dream version: 宝くじが当たったら, "if I won the lottery".

Examples

  • 家いえに帰かえったら、電話でんわします。

    I'll call you when I get home.

  • 雨あめが降ふったら、試合しあいは中止ちゅうしです。

    If it rains, the match is off.

  • 駅えきに着ついたら、教おしえてください。

    Let me know when you get to the station.

  • 窓まどを開あけたら、雪ゆきが降ふっていました。

    When I opened the window, it was snowing.

  • 暇ひまだったら、手伝てつだってくれない？

    If you're free, could you help me out?

  • 宝たからくじが当あたったら、何なにをしますか。

    What would you do if you won the lottery?

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