Vocabulary

Words Related to Daily Affairs

用事[ようじ]⓪　Matter, task, noun

ちょっと用事がある。

Chotto yōji ga aru.

I have something to do.

規則[きそく]①　Rule, noun

規則を作る。

Kisoku o tsukuru.

Make a rule.

計画[けいかく]⓪　Plan, noun

計画を立てる。

Keikaku o tateru.

Make a plan.

番号[ばんごう]③　Number, noun

電話番号を調べる。

Denwa bangō o shiraberu.

Look up a phone number.

単位[たんい]①　Credit; unit of measurement, noun

単位をもらう。

Tan'i o morau.

Earn credits.

小さじ　（Unit of measurement）　A small spoon, noun

小さじで計る。

Kosaji de hakaru.

Measure with a small spoon.

世界遺産[せかいいさん]④　World Heritage, noun

世界遺産を訪れる。

Sekai isan o otozureru.

Visit a World Heritage site.

超[こ]えます　Exceed, surpass, verb

能力を超えます。

Nōryoku o koemasu.

Exceed one's ability.

出場[しゅつじょう]します　Participate, appear, verb

オリンピックに出場します。

Orinpikku ni shutsujō shimasu.

Participate in the Olympics.

つまみ食[ぐ]いします　Snack, nibble, verb

台所でつまみ食いします。

Daidokoro de tsumamigui shimasu.

Snack in the kitchen.

弱い[よわい]②　Weak, fragile, adjective

体が弱い。

Karada ga yowai.

Physically weak.

厳しい[きびしい]③　Strict, severe, adjective

規則が厳しい。

Kisoku ga kibishii.

The rules are strict.

贅沢[ぜいたく]⓪　【な】Luxurious, adjective

贅沢な生活。

Zeitaku na seikatsu.

A luxurious life.

こっそり　Secretly, quietly, adverb

こっそりと話をする。

Kossori to hanashi o suru.

Talk secretly.

さすが⓪　As expected, adverb

さすが一番人気がある店だよね。

Sasuga ichiban ninki ga aru mise da yo ne.

As expected, it's the most popular shop.

実際[じっさい]に⓪　Actually, adverb

実際に見たのは初めてでした。

Jissai ni mita no wa hajimete deshita.

It was the first time I actually saw it.

以上[いじょう]①　More than, noun

３時間以上かかる。

3-jikan ijō kakaru.

It takes more than 3 hours.

Grammar Points

1. Conditional Form (ば形)

The conditional form is used to express hypothetical conditions, meaning "if... then...". Let's look at the transformation rules for different parts of speech:

Part of Speech	Transformation Rule	Example
Verb	Change the "u" sound to "e" sound + ば	行くーー行けば、いるーーいれば
い-Adjective	Change "い" to "けれ" + ば	寒いーー寒ければ
な-Adjective	Change "だ" to "なら" (+ ば)	暇だーー暇なら（ば）

2. ～ば、～

「～ば、～」is used to express hypothetical conditions, meaning "if... then...".

• 北海道へ行けば、スキーができます。
• Hokkaidō e ikeba, sukī ga dekimasu.
• If you go to Hokkaido, you can ski.

• 天気がよければ、散歩に行きましょう。
• Tenki ga yokereba, sanpo ni ikimashō.
• If the weather is nice, let's go for a walk.

• 隣の犬はいつも主人を見れば、飛んでくる。
• Tonari no inu wa itsumo shujin o mireba, tonde kuru.
• The neighbor's dog always jumps over when it sees its owner.

Note:

1) ば cannot be followed by the past tense (た形), as ば only expresses hypothetical conditions, not established conditions.

(Since ば is about future assumptions, logically, it cannot be followed by the past tense.)

• 窓を開けると/開けたら、海が見えました。〇 (Indicates two actions happening in sequence, "as soon as...")
• 窓を開ければ、海が見えました。✖　

• 卒業論文を出せば、卒業できます。
• Sotsugyō ronbun o daseba, sotsugyō dekimasu.
• If you submit your thesis, you can graduate.

• 安ければ、買います。
• Yasukereba, kaimasu.
• If it's cheap, I'll buy it.

• あした雨が降れば、運動会は中止です。
• Ashita ame ga fureba, undōkai wa chūshi desu.
• If it rains tomorrow, the sports festival will be canceled.

2) The sentence ending generally cannot use expressions of will, hope, command, or request (ば is usually not followed by subjective sentences).

However,

a. When ば is preceded by a state like ある/いる (existence), できる (ability), or adjectives (description).

b. When the subjects of the two clauses are different.

In these cases, it can be used.

• 先生に会えば、これを渡してください。✖
• （先生に会えたら、～）

• お金があれば、家を買いたいです。〇
• Okane ga areba, ie o kaitai desu.
• If I have money, I want to buy a house.

• 暑ければ、クーラーをつけてください。〇
• Atsukereba, kūrā o tsukete kudasai.
• If it's hot, please turn on the air conditioner.

ば: Hypothetical assumption about the future (assuming something will happen).

たら: Hypothetical completion.

3) 「ば」can express habitual or repeated actions, or universal conditions.

Often used for natural phenomena, truths, or proverbs.

• 三人寄れば文殊の知恵
• San nin yoreba monju no chie
• Three heads are better than one.

• ちりが積もれば山となる
• Chiri ga tsumoreba yama to naru
• Many a little makes a mickle.

• 春になると、花が咲きます。　〇 (Established fact) When spring comes, flowers bloom.
• 春になれば、花が咲きます。　〇 (Speculative judgment) If it's spring, flowers will bloom.
• 春になったら、花が咲きます。〇 (Sequence of events) When spring arrives, flowers will bloom.

3. ～なら、～

「～なら、～」is used to express hypothetical conditions, meaning "if... then...", often used to discuss or propose something based on a topic raised by the other person.

• 王さんはいますか。
• Ō-san wa imasu ka.
• Is Mr. Wang here?

• 王さんなら、もう帰りましたよ。
• Ō-san nara, mō kaerimashita yo.
• If you're asking about Mr. Wang, he's already gone home.

• 肉料理が嫌いなら、魚料理にしましょうか。
• Niku ryōri ga kirai nara, sakana ryōri ni shimashō ka.
• If you don't like meat dishes, shall we make fish dishes?

• あなたが行くなら、私も行きます。
• Anata ga iku nara, watashi mo ikimasu.
• If you're going, I'll go too.

Note:

1) 「なら」is often used to discuss or propose something based on a topic raised by the other person.

This usage is unique to なら and not shared by たら, と, or ば.

• 日本料理を食べたいなあ。
• Nihon ryōri o tabetai nā.
• I really want to eat Japanese food.

• 日本料理なら、あの店のほうがいいよ。
• Nihon ryōri nara, ano mise no hō ga ii yo.
• If it's Japanese food, that restaurant is better.

2) When expressing hypothetical conditions:

「なら」usually indicates that the action in the second clause happens first or simultaneously.

たら, と, and ば usually indicate that the first action happens first.

• お酒を飲んだら、運転をするな。
• O-sake o nondara, unten o suru na.
• If you drink alcohol, don't drive.

• 運転をするなら、お酒を飲むな。
• Unten o suru nara, o-sake o nomu na.
• If you're going to drive, don't drink alcohol.

3) 「なら」has a strong hypothetical tone and cannot be used in natural or self-evident sentences.

• この辺り、雨が降る（なら✖ と〇 たら〇 ば〇）、山崩れが起きる。
• Kono atari, ame ga furu (nara ✖ to 〇 tara 〇 ba 〇), yamakuzure ga okiru.
• In this area, if it rains, landslides occur.

• 夜になる（なら✖ と〇 たら〇 ば〇）、暗くなる。
• Yoru ni naru (nara ✖ to 〇 tara 〇 ba 〇), kuraku naru.
• When night falls, it gets dark.

4. Noun + でも

「Noun + でも」is used to list one of several options, often used for suggestions or proposals, meaning "... or something".

• お茶でも飲みませんか。
• O-cha demo nomimasen ka.
• How about having some tea or something?

• 野球でもしましょう。
• Yakyū demo shimashō.
• Let's play baseball or something.

• この夏は山にでも登ってみたいです。
• Kono natsu wa yama ni demo nobotte mitai desu.
• This summer, I want to climb a mountain or something.

• 昨日映画でも見ました。　✖
• Kinō eiga demo mimashita.
• Yesterday, I watched a movie or something. (Incorrect usage)

5. ～とか ～とか

「～とか ～とか」is used for incomplete enumeration, often used in spoken language.

• 私は、ケーキとか和菓子とかの甘いものは、あまり好きではありません。
• Watashi wa, kēki toka wagashi toka no amai mono wa, amari suki de wa arimasen.
• I don't really like sweet things like cake or Japanese sweets.

• ご飯はコンビニで買うとか、レストランで食べるとか、自分で作るとか、 決まっていません。
• Gohan wa konbini de kau toka, resutoran de taberu toka, jibun de tsukuru toka, kimatte imasen.
• I haven't decided whether to buy food at a convenience store, eat at a restaurant, or cook myself.

「～や～など」can only connect nouns and can be used in both spoken and written language.

Dialogue Practice

Basic

A: 優勝すれば、オリンピックに出場できますか。

A: Yūshō sureba, orinpikku ni shutsujō dekimasu ka.

A: If I win, can I participate in the Olympics?

B: はい、優勝すれば出場できます。

B: Hai, yūshō sureba shutsujō dekimasu.

B: Yes, if you win, you can participate.

A: この規則は厳しいですか。

A: Kono kisoku wa kibishii desu ka.

A: Is this rule strict?

B: はい、とても厳しいです。

B: Hai, totemo kibishii desu.

B: Yes, it's very strict.

Workplace

A: 計画を立てれば、成功できますか。

A: Keikaku o tatereba, seikō dekimasu ka.

A: If we make a plan, can we succeed?

B: はい、計画を立てれば成功の可能性が高まります。

B: Hai, keikaku o tatereba seikō no kanōsei ga takamari masu.

B: Yes, if we make a plan, the chances of success increase.

Daily Life

A: お茶でも飲みませんか。

A: O-cha demo nomimasen ka.

A: How about having some tea or something?

B: いいですね、飲みましょう。

B: Ii desu ne, nomimashō.

B: Sounds good, let's have some.

Cultural Knowledge

Language Culture

Use of Honorifics: In Japanese, it's common to use 「さん」to show respect when addressing others, such as 「王さん」.

Expression Characteristics: Japanese people often use indirect expressions to avoid direct refusal, such as 「ちょっと…」(a bit...).

Social Culture

Gift-Giving Culture: In Japan, it's common to give 「お土産[おみやげ]」as a gesture of goodwill, and it's polite to express gratitude when receiving a gift.

Social Etiquette: Exchanging business cards (名刺[めいし]) is a common business etiquette during first meetings.

Summary and Key Points

This lesson focused on learning the conditional form (ば形) and its application in conversations, including the usage of 「～ば、～」and 「～なら、～」. Through the structures of 「Noun + でも」and 「～とか ～とか」, we learned how to list options and make suggestions. Additionally, we studied vocabulary related to daily life and workplace scenarios, such as rules, plans, and numbers.