Choosing the Right Conditional

Compare たら, なら, と, and ば so you can choose the most natural conditional for each situation.

Compare the core meanings of たら, なら, と, and ば.Choose the right conditional based on sequence, context, automatic result, or hypothetical logic.Avoid common learner mistakes caused by translating all conditionals simply as 'if'.

Guided study

The four-way contrast

Each conditional has a core job. たら is flexible and often marks sequence or discovery. なら picks up context. と marks automatic or habitual results. ば is general and hypothetical.

駅に着いたら、連絡してください。

When you arrive at the station, please contact me.

たら works well with requests after the condition is met.

日本へ行くなら、京都もおすすめです。

If you're going to Japan, I also recommend Kyoto.

なら responds to a known topic.

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