Practice JLPTHow to tell them apart
The core contrast is that たら covers both temporal sequence and hypothetical condition, while ば is purely conditional. With たら, the main clause happens after the subordinate clause (先生に聞いたら分かった = after asking, I understood), so it naturally describes one-time past events. ば focuses on a general if-then relationship (聞けば分かる = if you ask, you understand) and sounds unnatural for describing a completed sequence. Also, たら freely allows requests or volitional endings in the main clause (嫌いだったら残して下さい), whereas ば does not.
- たら Use たら when the main clause follows in time or you want a natural conversational if/when.
- ば Use ば for a general conditional if-then relationship, especially for habitual or logical outcomes.
たら tara
If/When
If; when; after | A subordinate conjunction which indicates that the action/state expressed by the main clause in a sentence takes place after the action/state expressed by the subordinate clause.
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先生に聞いたら直ぐ分かった。
When I asked my teacher, I understood right away.
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嫌いだったら残して下さい。
If you don't like it, please leave it.
ば ba
If (conditional)
If | A conjunction which indicates that the preceding clause expresses a conditional.
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この薬を飲めばよくなる・なります。
If you take this medicine, you'll get well.
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これは松本先生に聞けば分かります。
You'll understand it if you ask Professor Matsumoto.
たら and ば are both JLPT N4 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side — meanings, usage and example sentences — so you can tell them apart.