Meaning
A more formal way to express a condition and its possible result.
Formation
- Group 1: the -u syllable shifts to the -e row plus ば: 行く → 行けば
- Group 2: る → れば: 食べる → 食べれば
- Group 3: すれば, 来れば (kureba)
- i-adjective: い → ければ: 安ければ; nouns and na-adjectives: なら(ば)
When to use it
- Core use
- If: a condition and its result
Example
時間があればコーヒーを飲みましょう
If we have time, let’s have coffee.
Important notes
- Pay attention to the word form before the construction and to the particles around it.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate the pattern word for word; first identify its function in the whole situation.