たら (tara) - If/When (past) | Japanese Grammar Documentation

What is たら Conditional?

たら is the most versatile conditional form, expressing hypothetical situations, sequential actions ("when/after"), and discoveries. It's formed from the past tense (た-form) + ら.

雨が降ったら、行きません
"If it rains, I won't go" (hypothetical)

家に着いたら、電話してね
"When you get home, call me" (sequential)

ドアを開けたら、誰もいなかった
"When I opened the door, no one was there" (discovery)

Formation

Pattern: た-form + ら

Verb	た-form	+ ら
行く	行った	行ったら
食べる	食べた	食べたら
する	した	したら
来る	来た	来たら
読む	読んだ	読んだら
書く	書いた	書いたら

With adjectives

い-adjectives: 高い → 高かったら
な-adjectives: 静か → 静かだったら
Nouns: 雨 → 雨だったら

Negative form

行かない → 行かなかったら (If (you) don't go)
高くない → 高くなかったら (If it's not expensive)

Three Main Uses

1. Hypothetical future ("if")

明日雨が降ったら、中止です
"If it rains tomorrow, it's cancelled"

お金があったら、買いたい
"If I had money, I'd want to buy it"

時間があったら、遊びに来てね
"If you have time, come visit"

2. Sequential actions ("when/after")

宿題が終わったら、遊ぼう
"When homework is finished, let's play"

駅に着いたら、電話してください
"When you arrive at the station, please call"

ご飯を食べたら、出かけます
"After eating, I'll go out"

3. Discovery/unexpected result

家に帰ったら、猫が寝ていた
"When I got home, the cat was sleeping"

窓を開けたら、雪が降っていた
"When I opened the window, it was snowing"

財布を見たら、お金がなかった
"When I checked my wallet, there was no money"

Basic Usage

Hypothetical conditions

暇だったら、手伝ってください
"If you're free, please help"

分からなかったら、聞いてね
"If you don't understand, ask me"

よかったら、一緒に行きませんか
"If you'd like, won't you go together?"

After completion

仕事が終わったら、飲みに行こう
"When work is done, let's go drinking"

春になったら、桜を見に行きたい
"When spring comes, I want to go see cherry blossoms"

大人になったら、何になりたい？
"When you become an adult, what do you want to be?"

Key Characteristics

Most versatile conditional

Can use with:
✓ Commands/requests
✓ Volitional (~よう)
✓ Past tense results
✓ Desires (~たい)
✓ Any sentence type

Most flexible!

Works in all contexts

Can replace other conditionals in most situations:

安いと買う → 安かったら買う ✓
安ければ買う → 安かったら買う ✓

When in doubt, use たら!

Common Conversations

Example 1: Making Plans

A: 週末、何する？
   "What are you doing this weekend?"

B: 天気がよかったら、ピクニックに行きたいな
   "If the weather's good, I want to go on a picnic"

A: いいね！行こう
   "Sounds good! Let's go"

Example 2: Sequential Action

A: これ、いつ送る？
   "When are you sending this?"

B: 確認が終わったら、すぐ送るよ
   "When the check is done, I'll send it right away"

A: お願いね
   "Please do"

Example 3: Discovery

A: 昨日どうだった？
   "How was yesterday?"

B: パーティーに行ったら、みんな帰ったところだった
   "When I went to the party, everyone had just left"

A: え、残念！
   "Oh no, too bad!"

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Confusing with past tense

たら is NOT past tense!

行ったら = "If/when (you) go" (future/hypothetical)
行った = "Went" (past tense)

たら looks like past but isn't!

Mistake 2: Using た twice

Wrong: 食べたったら ❌
Right: 食べたら ✓
"If/when (you) eat"

Don't double the た!

Mistake 3: Wrong form

Wrong: 食べるたら ❌
Right: 食べたら ✓
"If/when (you) eat"

Must use た-form, not dictionary form!

たら vs Other Conditionals

たら - Most versatile

雨が降ったら、中止
"If it rains, cancelled"

Works everywhere
Most common in casual speech

と - Natural consequence

雨が降ると、中止になる
"When it rains, it gets cancelled"

Habitual/natural only

ば - General condition

雨が降れば、中止
"If it rains, cancelled"

More formal
General condition

なら - Contextual

雨なら、中止だよ
"If it's rain, it's cancelled"

Based on given info

With Commands and Requests

Giving instructions

困ったら、電話してください
"If you're in trouble, please call"

分からなかったら、聞いてね
"If you don't understand, ask me"

準備ができたら、教えてください
"When you're ready, please let me know"

Expressing Wishes

Counterfactual wishes

お金があったら、旅行できるのに
"If I had money, I could travel" (but I don't)

もっと時間があったら、勉強できるのに
"If I had more time, I could study" (but I don't)

彼がいたら、楽しいのに
"If he were here, it would be fun" (but he isn't)

よかったら (If you'd like)

Polite invitation/offer

よかったら、食べてください
"If you'd like, please eat"

よかったら、一緒に行きませんか
"If you'd like, won't you go together?"

よかったら、使ってください
"If you'd like, please use it"

Very common polite phrase!

Sequential たら

Step by step instructions

まず、ここを押したら、次にこれを選んでください
"First, when you press here, next please select this"

駅に着いたら、電話してください。
そうしたら、迎えに行きます
"When you arrive at the station, please call.
Then I'll come pick you up"

Discovery Pattern

Past tense + たら for discoveries

外を見たら、雪が降っていた
"When I looked outside, it was snowing"

冷蔵庫を開けたら、何もなかった
"When I opened the fridge, there was nothing"

電話したら、留守番電話だった
"When I called, it was voicemail"

Casual Suggestions

どうしたら (what if)

どうしたらいい？
"What should I do?" (lit: If I do what, is it good?)

どうしたら痩せられる？
"How can I lose weight?" (lit: If I do what, can I lose weight?)

Negative たら

If not / when not

分からなかったら、聞いて
"If you don't understand, ask"

行かなかったら、連絡してね
"If you're not going, let me know"

美味しくなかったら、残していいよ
"If it's not delicious, you can leave it"

たら with のに (but)

Expressing regret/complaint

勉強したら、合格できるのに
"If you studied, you could pass" (but you don't)

早く寝たら、元気になるのに
"If you slept early, you'd feel better" (but you don't)

Shows what could happen but doesn't

Time Expressions

Temporal conditions

夏になったら、海に行きたい
"When summer comes, I want to go to the beach"

20歳になったら、お酒が飲める
"When you turn 20, you can drink alcohol"

明日になったら、分かる
"When tomorrow comes, we'll know"

Polite Patterns

Formal requests

お時間がありましたら、ご連絡ください
"If you have time, please contact me"

よろしかったら、こちらをどうぞ
"If it's alright, please have this"

Multiple たら

Multiple conditions

お金があって、時間があったら、旅行したい
"If I have money and time, I want to travel"

雨が止んで、天気がよくなったら、出かけよう
"When the rain stops and the weather gets better, let's go out"

Practice Sentences

Basic

暇だったら、遊ぼう
"If you're free, let's hang out"

終わったら、教えてね
"When you're done, let me know"

家に帰ったら、すぐ寝た
"When I got home, I immediately slept"

Intermediate

もし宝くじに当たったら、世界一周旅行がしたい
"If I won the lottery, I'd want to travel around the world"

駅に着いたら電話してください。
そうしたら、迎えに行きます
"When you arrive at the station, please call.
Then I'll come pick you up"

財布を見たら、お金が全然入っていなくて、びっくりした
"When I checked my wallet, there was no money at all, and I was surprised"

Advanced

もし時間を戻せたら、もっと一生懸命勉強して、
違う道を選んでいたかもしれない。でも、
今の人生も悪くないと思っている。
"If I could turn back time, I might have studied harder
and chosen a different path. However,
I think my current life isn't bad either."

このプロジェクトが成功したら、会社の業績が
大幅に改善されるでしょう。そうなったら、
従業員の待遇も良くなると期待しています。
"If this project succeeds, the company's performance
will improve significantly. If that happens,
I expect employee treatment will also improve."

と conditional - Natural consequence
ば conditional - General condition
なら conditional - Contextual
Conditionals overview - All conditional forms
〜たらどう - How about (advice)
よかったら - If you'd like

What is たら Conditional?

Formation

Pattern: た-form + ら

With adjectives

Negative form

Three Main Uses

1. Hypothetical future ("if")

2. Sequential actions ("when/after")

3. Discovery/unexpected result

Basic Usage

Hypothetical conditions

After completion

Key Characteristics

Most versatile conditional

Works in all contexts

Common Conversations

Example 1: Making Plans

Example 2: Sequential Action

Example 3: Discovery

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Confusing with past tense

Mistake 2: Using た twice

Mistake 3: Wrong form

たら vs Other Conditionals

たら - Most versatile

と - Natural consequence

ば - General condition

なら - Contextual

With Commands and Requests

Giving instructions

Expressing Wishes

Counterfactual wishes

よかったら (If you'd like)

Polite invitation/offer

Sequential たら

Step by step instructions

Discovery Pattern

Past tense + たら for discoveries

Casual Suggestions

どうしたら (what if)

Negative たら

If not / when not

たら with のに (but)

Expressing regret/complaint

Time Expressions

Temporal conditions

Polite Patterns

Formal requests

Multiple たら

Multiple conditions

Practice Sentences

Basic

Intermediate

Advanced

Related Grammar Points