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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    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About もしも~なら・もしも~でも

もし is an 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 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 hypothesis expression. For example, , , なら, or ても.
  • もしも今年(ことし)(じゅう)()()すのならば(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)()まるので()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)(やす)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(かれ)いたとしても今日(きょう)(じゅう)()わらなかっただろう
    Supposing he were even 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 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)(わす)たら(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(むずか)しくても最後(さいご)まで(あきら)ないで頑張(がんば)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)

Examples

  • もしもドラえもんがいたなら(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.

  • もしも(ぼく)がドラえもんでも(たす)けられない。

    Even if I were Doraemon I would be unable to help.

  • もしも(たたか)なら囲碁(いご)いい

    If we are going to battle, I say we settle it with a game of Go.

  • もしもこの計画(けいかく)実現(じつげん)したならこの(まち)もっと()みやすくなるでしょう。

    If the plan becomes a reality, this town will become much easier to live in.

  • シリクス:「もしも()まれ()わるならその(とき)(ぼく)結婚(けっこん)してくれる?」

    Sirix: 'If you were reborn, would you marry me again?'

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もしも~なら・もしも~でも – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (5 in total)

  • FredKore

    FredKore

    It’s a paid site for vocabulary…
    Japanese Core 6000 > Japanese Core 4000 > Japanese Core 4000: Step 6 - iKnow!

  • Munzu

    Munzu

    I haven’t quite understood the difference between もし and もしも. Can anybody please explain?

  • Pablunpro

    Pablunpro

    もしもこのレソースは「もしも」という文法についてだったら、…

    待って!なるほど…今分かったよね!

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