〜たら

Property	Value
Pattern	〜たら
JLPT Level	N4
Type	conditional
Formality	Neutral
Register	Both (Spoken and Written)

Meaning

The 〜たら (tara) conditional expresses "if" or "when" something happens. It is used to describe a situation that must occur before the subsequent action or state can take place, or to express a discovery made after an action.

Structure Formula

[Verb た-form] + ら
[い-adj (past form)] + ら
[な-adj / Noun (past form)] + だったら

Conjugation Rules:

Verbs: Use the past tense (た-form) and add ら. (e.g., 食べた → 食べたら)
い-adjectives: Change the final い to かった and add ら. (e.g., 暑い → 暑かったら)
な-adjectives/Nouns: Add だったら. (e.g., 静か → 静かだったら / 学生 → 学生だったら)

Detailed Explanation

〜たら is the most versatile conditional in Japanese. Unlike 〜ば (which focuses on the condition) or 〜と (which focuses on inevitable results), 〜たら focuses on the completion of the first action as a prerequisite for the second.

It is frequently used to express:

Sequence: "After [A] happens, [B] will happen."
Discovery: "When I did [A], I realized [B]." (e.g., "When I opened the door, it was raining.")
Hypothetical: "If [A] happens, I will do [B]."

Because it is based on the past tense form, it carries a nuance of "once the action is finished." It is appropriate for both casual conversation and formal writing, making it a "go-to" conditional for learners.

Example Sentences

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
着いたら、電話してください。	ついたら、でんわしてください。	Tsuitara, denwa shite kudasai.	Please call me when you arrive.
時間があったら、映画を見に行こう。	じかんがあったら、えいがをみにいこう。	Jikan ga attara, eiga o mi ni ikou.	If I have time, let's go see a movie.
10時になったら、出発します。	じゅうじになったら、しゅっぱつします。	Juuji ni nattara, shuppatsu shimasu.	We will depart once it hits 10 o'clock.
窓を開けたら、涼しい風が入ってきた。	まどをあけたら、すずしいかぜがはいってきた。	Mado o aketara, suzushii kaze ga haitte kita.	When I opened the window, a cool breeze came in.
高かったら、買いません。	たかかったら、かいません。	Takakattara, kaimasen.	If it is expensive, I won't buy it.
暇だったら、手伝ってくれない？	ひまだったら、てつだってくれない？	Hima dattara, tetsudatte kurenai?	If you're free, can you help me?
日本に行ったら、寿司を食べたい。	にほんにいったら、すしをたべたい。	Nihon ni ittara, sushi o tabetai.	If/When I go to Japan, I want to eat sushi.
先生だったら、知っているかもしれない。	せんせいだったら、しっているかもしれない。	Sensei dattara, shitte iru kamo shirenai.	If it's the teacher, they might know.

Comparison with Similar Patterns

〜たら vs 〜と vs 〜ば

Pattern	Nuance	Key Difference
〜と	Inevitable result	Used for natural laws or mechanical results (e.g., "If you press this, it turns on").
〜ば	Conditional focus	Used for general conditions; often used in set phrases or proverbs.
〜たら	Sequence/Completion	Used for specific future actions or discovery. Most common in daily speech.

〜と: ボタンを押すと、電気がつく。(If you press the button, the light turns on — automatic).
〜たら: ボタンを押したら、電気がついた。(When I pressed the button, the light turned on — discovery/sequence).

Common Mistakes

Using 〜たら for natural laws: ❌ 春になったら、花が咲く。(Grammatically okay, but 〜と is more natural for universal truths). ✓ 春になると、花が咲く。
Confusing the base form: ❌ 食べるたら... → ✓ 食べたら... (Must use the past tense form).
Overusing 〜たら in formal writing: While acceptable, sometimes 〜ば or 〜と sounds more sophisticated in academic or formal reports.

Practice Exercises

Fill in the blank:

明日、雨が（　　　　）、ピクニックは中止です。(降る)
宿題が（　　　　）、遊びに行きましょう。(終わる)
先生が（　　　　）、聞いてみます。(いる)
もし私が鳥（　　　　）、空を飛びたい。(だ)
この道が（　　　　）、右に曲がってください。(長い)

Answer Key:

降ったら (If it rains tomorrow, the picnic is cancelled.)
終わったら (Once homework is finished, let's go play.)
いたら (If the teacher is there, I will try asking.)
だったら (If I were a bird, I would want to fly.)
長かったら (If this road is long, please turn right.)

JLPT Level Notes

In the JLPT N4, 〜たら is frequently tested in the "reordering" (star) questions. Remember that the clause ending in 〜たら usually sets the stage for a request, a suggestion, or a discovery. If you see a sentence ending in a command or a "let's" form, 〜たら is a very strong candidate for the conditional connector.