たら — General Conditional

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use たら (tara) to express "if/when" for general conditions and "after/when" for sequential events. You'll understand how it differs from other conditionals and when to use it naturally.

たら (tara) is a versatile conditional form that works for:

• General conditions – "If X happens, then Y happens"
• Sequential events – "After X happens, Y happens"

Think of it as "when/if (something happens), then..." – it's like setting up a cause-and-effect or time-order relationship between two events.

How to form たら

Rule: Take the plain past (た-form) of any verb, adjective, or noun+copula, then add ら (ra).

For い-adjectives: 安い (yasui) → 安かった (yasukatta) → 安かったら (yasukattara) – "if it's cheap"
For な-adjectives/nouns: 元気 (genki) + だ → 元気だった (genki datta) → 元気だったら (genki dattara) – "if (someone) is energetic"安元気

Two Main Uses

1. General Conditional (if/when)

• Expresses a condition that leads to a result
• The result is natural, expected, or habitual

2. Sequential Event (after/when)

• One event happens, then another follows
• Often used for discoveries or unexpected findings

General Conditional

Example 1:

• 雨が降ったら、試合は中止です。雨降試合中止
• Ame ga futtara, shiai wa chuushi desu.
• "If it rains, the game will be canceled."

Example 2:

• 時間があったら、映画を見たいです。時間映画見
• Jikan ga attara, eiga o mitai desu.
• "If I have time, I want to watch a movie."

Sequential Event

Example 3:

• 家に帰ったら、すぐシャワーを浴びます。家帰浴
• Ie ni kaettara, sugu shawaa o abimasu.
• "When I get home, I'll take a shower right away."

Example 4:

• 窓を開けたら、鳥が飛んでいきました。窓開鳥飛
• Mado o aketara, tori ga tonde ikimashita.
• "When I opened the window, a bird flew away."

❌ Using たら for past habitual actions (use とき or た-form instead)

• Wrong: 子供だったら、よく公園で遊びました。子供公園遊
• Right: 子供のとき、よく公園で遊びました。子供公園遊
• Kodomo no toki, yoku kouen de asobimashita.
• "When I was a child, I often played in the park."

✅ Using たら for future conditions and sequences is correct

Fill in the blanks with the correct たら form:

1. 東京に着___、電話してください。
   Toukyou ni tsu___, denwa shite kudasai.
   (When you arrive in Tokyo, please call me.)東京着電話

   東京着電話

2. 安___、このカバンを買います。
   Yasu___, kono kaban o kaimasu.
   (If it's cheap, I'll buy this bag.)安買

   安買

Answers:

1. 着いたら (tsuitara)着
2. 安かったら (yasukattara)安

Key takeaways:

• たら = plain past + ら
• Use for: "if/when" conditions and "after/when" sequences
• Works with verbs, adjectives, and nouns
• Not for past habitual actions

Next step: Practice making your own sentences using たら with different verb types. Then move on to learning ば (ba) conditional – the "if" form that focuses on hypothetical situations and general rules.