Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 25

Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 25
Let’s study N5-level Japanese grammar, lesson by lesson, following the Minna no Nihongo textbook.

Lesson 25
1. Expressing a supposition
• Structure:
V た + ら
A かった + ら
Na / N ＋だった＋ら
• Meaning: If …, supposing …
• Usage: used when the speaker states an opinion, a situation or a request in a supposed case.

• Examples:
お金が あったら、旅行します。
Okane ga attara, ryokōshimasu.
If I had money, I would travel.

時間が なかったら、テレビを 見)ません。
Jikan ga nakattara, terebi wo mi masen.
If I have no time, I do not watch TV.

安かったら、パソコンを 買いたいです。
Yasukattara, pasokon wo kaitaidesu.
If it is cheap, I want to buy a computer.

暇だったら、手伝ってください。
Himadattara, tetsudatte kudasai.
If you are free, please give me a hand.

いい天気だったら、散歩しませんか。
Ī tenki dattara, sanposhimasen ka.
If the weather is nice, would you go for a walk with me?

2. V た＋ら : after ~
• Usage:
– Expresses that an action will be done, or a situation will arise, once something that is certain to happen in the future has been completed or reached.
– The main clause is always in the present tense.

• Examples:
１０時になったら、出かけましょう。
10 ji ni nattara, dekakemashou.
Let us go out once it is 10 o’clock

家へ 帰ったら、すぐ シャワーを 浴びます。
Uchi e kaettara, sugu shawā wo abimasu.
As soon as I get home I take a shower.

何時ごろ 見学に 行きますか。
Nanji goro kengaku ni ikimasu.
About what time are we going on the tour?

…昼ごはんを 食べたら、すぐ 行きます。
Hiru gohan wo tabetara, sugu ikimasu.
We will go as soon as we have had lunch.

3. Concessive conditions
• Structure:
Vて＋も
Aくて＋も
Na/ N ＋で＋も
• Meaning: even if ~, still ~
• Usage: used when an action that should be done in a given situation is not done, when something that should happen does not happen, or when the result goes against what people would normally expect.

• Examples:
スイッチを 入れても、機械が 動きません。
Suitchi wo irete mo, kikai ga ugokimasen
Even though I switched it on, the machine still does not work.

高くても、このラジカセを 買いたいです。
Takakute mo, kono rajikase wo kaitaidesu.
Even though it is expensive, I still want to buy this radio-cassette player.

静かでも、寝ることが できません。
Shizuka demo, neru koto ga dekimasen.
Even though it is quiet, I cannot sleep.

日曜日でも、仕事を します。
Nichiyōbi demo, shigoto wo shimasu.
Even though it is Sunday, I am working.

4. もし ＆ いくら
• Usage:
– もし is used with the ~たら pattern and emphasises that this is the speaker’s supposition.
– いくら is used with the ~ても（～でも）pattern and emphasises the degree of the condition.
• Examples:
もし １億円あったら、いろいろな国を 旅行したいです。
Moshi ichi oku en attara, iroirona kuni wo ryokōshitaidesu.
Supposing I had 100 million yen, I would like to travel to lots of countries.

いくら 考えても、分かりません。
Ikura kangaetemo, wakarimasen.
However much I think about it, I do not understand.

いくら安くても、いらないものを買わないほうがいいです。
Ikura yasukute mo, iranai mono wo kawanai hō ga īdesu.
However cheap it is, it is better not to buy something you do not need.

5. N が
• Usage:
– The particle marking the subject of a subordinate clause.
– Besides clauses with 「から」, 「が」is also used to mark the subject in clauses with 「～たら」、「～ても」、「～と」、「～とき」、「～まえに」、…
• Examples:
友達が来る前に、部屋を掃除します。
Tomodachi ga kuru mae ni, heya wo sōji shimasu.
Before my friend comes over, I tidy the room.

妻が病気のとき、会社を休みます。
Tsuma ga byōki no toki, kaisha wo yasumimasu.
When my wife is ill, I take time off work.

友達が約束の時間に来ないがったら、どうしますか。
Tomodachi ga yakusoku no jikan ni konai gattara,-dōshimasu ka.
What will you do if your friend does not come at the agreed time?