How to tell them apart
なら takes the other person's statement or an assumed situation as given context and then gives a judgment, advice or intention about it, as in 雨なら行きません. たら is sequential and hypothetical or temporal, meaning the main clause happens after the たら clause is realized, as in 雨が降ったら行きません. So use なら to respond to a supposition and たら to say if or when something happens then something else follows.
- なら Use なら to respond to a supposed or stated situation with a judgment or advice, like 高いなら買えません.
- たら Use たら to show a main clause that happens after the condition is realized, like 先生に聞いたら分かった.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| なら nara | conditional 'if' | N4 |
| たら tara | used for 'if' or 'when' conditions | N4 |
なら nara
conditional 'if'
なら sets up an if condition based on something already mentioned or assumed by the speaker, often with a nuance of if it is the case that. It attaches to nouns and na-adjective stems as Noun + なら, to i-adjectives and verbs in plain form as 行くなら or 寒いなら, and to past forms for past conditions. It is common in conversation for suggestions and offers, and the main clause often expresses a decision, request, or judgment about that condition.
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雨なら、家で映画を見ます。
If it's raining, I'll watch a movie at home.
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暇なら、手伝ってください。
If you're free, please help me.
たら tara
used for 'if' or 'when' conditions
たら marks an if or when condition where the main event follows realization of the condition, and it covers likely future cases, hypothetical wishes, and past counterfactuals. Attach ら to the plain past form, as in 行ったら, 高かったら, and 静かだったら or 学生だったら for na-adjectives and nouns. It is neutral and very common in speech, but remember to use the た form even for future meaning, never the dictionary form before ら.
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行きたいんだったら、行ってもいいよ。
You can go if you want to.
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後２分早かったら、バスに乗れたのに。
If you had come only two minutes earlier, you could have caught the bus.
なら and たら are both JLPT N4 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.