Grammar Info
N3 Lesson 9: 21/22

もしも~なら
if, supposing

Structure
もし + Phrase[なら(1)

(1) Phrase[ば]Phrase[と]Phrase[ても]
Details
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使用域 一般
Information
もし is a 副詞(ふくし) (adverb) in Japanese that strengthens the base meaning of もし ‘a bit’. Therefore, the literal meaning of もし is ‘even a bit’. Despite this, as もし and もし are almost exclusively paired with sentences that use some sort of 仮定(かてい) ‘assumption’, or ‘hypothesis’ based expression, もし will often be translated as ‘supposing that’.
もし will be used at the beginning of sentences that include almost any form of 仮定(かてい) expression. For example, , , なら, or ても.
  • もしも、今年(ことし)中(じゅう)引(ひ)っ越(こ)すのならば、僕(ぼく)手伝(てつだ)ってやるよ。
    Supposing that you move within this year, I will help you.
  • もしも仕事(しごと)怪我(けが)する、現場(げんば)止(と)まるので気(き)つけてください
    Supposing that you get hurt at work, the site will be shut down, so please be careful.
  • もしも明日(あした)休(やす)みなら、一緒(いっしょ)博物館(はくぶつかん)かない
    Assuming you have a day off tomorrow, do you want to go to the museum with me?
  • もしも彼(かれ)いたとしても、今日(きょう)中(じゅう)は終(お)わらなかっただろう
    Supposing he even were here, don't you think we would not have been able to complete it by today?
Although もし is considered a stand-alone adverb, it is just a combination of もし, and the 副助詞(ふくじょし) (adverbial particle) も.
Caution
もし and もし are most often used to express some type of result. This means that (B) will happen if (A) happens, or if (A) is true. However, たとえ is contrastive, and therefore asks ‘what the result’ of a specific situation may be.
  • もしまた宿題(しゅくだい)忘(わす)れたら親(おや)電話(でんわ)します。
    Assuming you forget your homework again, I will call your parents. (Calling their parents will be the result of forgetting their homework)
  • たとえ、テスト難(むずか)しくても最後(さいご)まで諦(あきら)めないで頑張(がんば)ってください
    If, for example, the test is hard, don't give up, and do your best until the very end. (If the test is difficult, doing your best is not a result, just one of many choices that could be made)
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もしもドラえもんがいたなら、助(たす)けてもらえるのに。
If Doraemon were here, he would help us.
ドラえもん is a name of a cat-shaped robot, which can solve any problem from the anime of the same name.
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もしも僕(ぼく)がドラえもんでも助(たす)けられない。
Even if I were Doraemon I would be unable to help.
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もしも戦(たたか)うなら囲碁(いご)がいい
If we are going to battle, I say we settle it with a game of Go.
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