Episode 75 - Conditional form ba (how to say if, when)

Learn Japanese with Masa sensei!

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The ba form attached to the end of an adjective creates an “If…then…” sentence. Sentences that use the ba form are less colloquial than the other conditional form tara (which we won’t cover in this lesson). The main clause (i.e. the first half of a sentence) can be a desire, hope, command, suggestion, or statement of one’s will.

In order to conjugate an i-adjective into the ba form, you simply replace the final hiragana character い with ければ (kereba).

* いい (ii, good) has to be changed back into its dictionary form 良い (yoi) before it can be conjugated into the ba form.

高い ➝ 高ければ takai ➝ takakereba expensive ➝ Iif it’s expensive

寒い ➝ 寒ければ samui ➝ samukereba cold ➝ If it’s cold

面白い ➝ 面白ければ omoshiroi ➝ omoshirokereba interesting ➝ If it’s interesting

美味しい ➝ 美味しければ oishii ➝ oishikereba delicious ➝ If it’s delicious

いい ➝ 良い ➝ 良ければ ii ➝ yoi ➝ yokereba good ➝ If it’s good

時計は高ければ、買いません。

Tokei wa takakereba, kaimasen.

If the watch is expensive, I won’t buy it.

ヨーロッパは寒ければ、行きません。

Yooroppa wa samukereba, ikimasen.

If Europe is cold, I won’t go.

映画は面白ければ、見ましょう！

Eiga wa omoshirokereba, mimashou!

If the movie is interesting, let’s see it!

In order to conjugate na–adjectives into the ba form, you simply leave out the な and add ならば (naraba) instead. The “ba” at the end of “naraba” is optional.

便利 ➝ 便利なら(ば) benri ➝ benrinara(ba) convenient ➝ If it’s convenient

必要 ➝ 必要なら(ば) hitsuyou ➝ hitsuyounara(ba) necessary ➝ If it’s necessary

だめ ➝ だめなら(ば) dame ➝ damenara(ba) unacceptable ➝ If it’s unacceptable

有名 ➝ 有名なら(ば) yuumei ➝ yuumeinara(ba) famous ➝ If it’s famous

安全 ➝ 安全なら(ば) anzen ➝ anzennara(ba) safe ➝ If it’s safe

あのラーメンは有名ならば、食べたいです！

Ano raamen wa yuumeinaraba, tabetai desu!

If that ramen is famous, I want to try it!

この国は安全ならば、ここに住みたいです。

Kono kuni wa anzennaraba, koko ni sumitai desu.

If this country is safe, I want to live here.

東京の方が便利ならば、そこで会いましょうか？

Toukyou no hou ga benrinaraba, soko de aimashou ka?

If Tokyo is more convenient for you, shall we meet there?

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