Conditionals & Connectives
How do you say if, when, because, even though, or it's better to in Japanese? These patterns — ば, と, から, ので, のに, ても and more — connect ideas and express cause, condition, and contrast.
28 grammar points
ば Form | Japanese Conditional (If)
If ~ (general conditional)
と Conditional | Japanese 'When/If' for Natural Results
If/when ~ (natural, inevitable result)
Because | ～から
Because ~, so ~ (giving a reason)
Because (Polite) | ～ので
Because ~ (softer, more polite than から)
Even Though | ～のに
Even though ~, despite ~ (unexpected contrast)
Even If | ～ても / ～でも
Even if ~, still ~ (concessive conditional)
なくてもいい | Don't Have to Do
Don't have to ~, it's fine not to ~
Comparing & Advice | ～のほうが / ～ほうがいい
X is more ~ than Y / You should ~
前に | Before Doing Something in Japanese
Before ~
けど・が | Saying 'But' in Japanese
But, however, although
たら | The Most Versatile Japanese Conditional
If ~, when ~, once ~
なら | Talking About a Topic Someone Raised
If it's the case that ~, as for ~
ながら | Doing Two Things at Once
While doing ~
し | Listing Reasons in Japanese
And ~, and what's more ~ (listing reasons)
とき | Saying 'When' in Japanese
When ~, at the time of ~
間に | While and During in Japanese
While ~, during ~
ために | Purpose and Cause in Japanese
In order to ~ / because of ~
ように | So That, in Japanese
So that ~, in such a way that ~
ばいい・たらいい | Should and It'd Be Good If in Japanese
Should; can just; it would be good if
ばよかった | Should Have and I Wish I Had in Japanese
Should have; I wish I had; if only I'd
ば〜のに | If Only, Counterfactual in Japanese
If only ~ then; it would have been ~ if
とすれば・としたら | Supposing and If We Assume in Japanese
Supposing; if we assume; in that case
もしかしたら | Maybe and Possibly in Japanese
Maybe; possibly; it might just be that
おかげで | Thanks To in Japanese
Thanks to; owing to (a good outcome)
せいで | Because Of and Blame in Japanese
Because of; owing to (a bad outcome); it's ~'s fault
こそ | Emphasis and Precisely in Japanese
Precisely; exactly; it is ~ that; this time for sure
なぜなら | Because and The Reason Is in Japanese
Because; the reason is; this is due to
以上は | Now That and Since in Japanese
Now that; since; given that ~, naturally
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