～ば (Conditional Form)
Meaning
Expresses conditional "if ___, then ___" based on a natural or logical outcome.
Common translations: "if ___", "when ___", "provided that ___".
How to Form
Verbs
| Verb Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ichidan (る) | え-stem (Remove る) + れば | 食べれば → if (someone) eats |
| Godan (う) | え-stem + ば | 書けば → if (someone) writes |
| Irregular | 来(く)る → 来(く)れば する → すれば |
来れば → if (someone) comes 勉強すれば → if (someone) studies |
### Adjectives & Nouns
| Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| い-adjective | Remove い + ければ | 高ければ → if (it's) expensive |
| な-adjective | Drop な + ならば / であれば | 静かならば → (formal) if it's quiet 静かであれば → if it's quiet |
| Noun | + ならば / であれば | 学生ならば → (formal/literary) if (someone) is a student 学生であれば → if (someone) is a student |
| Negation | Like い-adjective | ない → なければ じゃない → じゃなければ |
Examples
-
明日晴れれば、出かけましょう。
If it's sunny tomorrow, let's go out. -
よく練習すれば、上手になりますよ。
If you practice a lot, you'll get better. -
お金があれば、旅行に行きたい。
If I had money, I’d like to travel. -
忙しくなければ、来てください。
If you're not busy, please come. -
薬を飲めば、よくなります。
If you take the medicine, you'll feel better.
Notes
- Cannot be used for volitional outcomes or commands. Use と or たら for those.
- Often implies natural results or logical consequences.
なら and ならば are interchangeable; ば is more formal or literary.