Grammar Info
N4 Lesson 8: 11/18

if・when, whenever, and, [conditional]

Structure
Verb +
[い]Adjective +
[な]Adjective + +
Noun + +
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
In the same way as the 格助詞(かくじょし) (case-marking particle) means ‘and’, sometimes it is translated as ‘if’. In these cases, it is considered to be far stronger than , なら, or たら (which express hypothetical outcomes). This is because one of the primary uses of is highlighting 結果(けっか) ‘a result’. In these cases, is actually a 接続助詞(せつぞくじょし), and shows one of three things.
仮定(かてい)の順接(じゅんせつ) - A result that is assumed to be true, and obvious.
確定(かくてい)の順接(じゅんせつ) - A result that is known to be true.
仮定(かてい)の逆接(ぎゃくせつ) - The opposite of a result that is assumed to be true.
Due to this, the (B) part of a phrase using as ‘if’, will always occur when (A) happens, as it is considered to be the result of (A).
  • 甘(あま)ものいっぱい食(た)べ、太(ふと)
    If you eat a lot of sweet things, you will gain weight.
  • 部屋(へや)汚(きたな)、お母(かあ)さんに怒(おこ)られる
    If my room is messy, my mother will yell at me.
  • 部屋(へや)静(しず)か、眠(ねむ)ない
    If my room is quiet, I can't sleep.
  • 地下鉄(ちかてつ)、5分(ふん)早(はや)く着(つ)
    If it’s the subway, you will arrive 5 minutes faster.
may not be used in situations where the (B) result ‘might’ happen. It must be definite (or close to definite).
  • 走(はし)けがする
    If I run, I will injure myself. (Unnatural Japanese, unless this person always injures themselves while running for some reason)
In this particular nuance of , despite being translated as ‘if’, the actual meaning is much closer to ‘and’, as is expressing that (A) and (B) will always go together.
  • 目(め)閉(と)じ何(なに)も見(み)えない
    I close my eyes, and I can't see.
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勉強(べんきょう)するテスト簡単(かんたん)になる
If you study, the test will be easy.
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この石(いし)磨(みが)綺麗(きれい)になる
If you polish this rock, it will become beautiful.
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ここから見(み)る、富士山(ふじさん)全然(ぜんぜん)見(み)えない
If you look from here, you can't see Mt. Fuji at all.
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Books
Genki II 1st Edition
Page 118
みんなの日本語 I
Page 146 [CH 23]
Genki II 2nd Edition
Page 146
みんなの日本語 II
Page 66 [CH 35]
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 481
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 132