Meaning & usage
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.
Example sentences 7
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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.
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何かヒントとなるものがあったらいいのに。
If only there was something that would give me a hint.
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何をしたらいいか教えて。
Tell me what to do.
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私でよかったらいくらでも話聞くよ。
If I am okay for it I can listen to as much as you have to say.
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今すぐ出かけたら６時までには着きます。
If you start at once you'll arrive by six o'clock.
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この本を読んでみたらいいと思うよ。
I think it'd be good if you read this book.
In past JLPT papers
This came up in 34 past exam questions.
And 28 more tests.
