Zelda: Ocarina of Time/The Walking Dictionary Brothers/Grammar

About today's lesson

No new major grammar appears in the dialogue. This is a very good time to review the grammar we covered earlier. For instance, do you remember how to form the potential? Passive? Volitional? How to use　～ず? Review the grammar you have the most trouble with.

Because we aren't covering anything new, we will look at all four conditional statements, and try to get a fell on each of the meanings. We will also review ている, just in case you don't exactly remember the two different ways this can be translated.

と　なら　～たら　～ば: The complete mess

Requests, commands, and volitional

なら,　～たら and　～ば can all be used with request, commands and volitional statments (like "I will do something"), but と can not.

While ～ば can be used to form request or commands, the first statement cannot be an action. For instance, the first statement is correct, while the second one is false

• Ｏ　安ければ、買いませんか If it is cheap, why don't you buy it?
• Ｘ　スーパーに行けば、　ミルクを買いなさい。 If you go to the store, buy some milk.

When talking about what you will do (the volitional) , なら,　～たら and　～ば all have different meanings.

• 先生が日本に行けば、私も行きます。

If the teacher goes to Japan, I will go too.

This sentence sets up the condition for you going to Japan. If you're teacher goes, you'll go. If he doesn't go, you won't go either.

• 先生が日本に行くなら、私も行きます。

If it is true that the teacher is going to Japan, then I will go to.

The sentence set's up the same condition as above, i.e., if he goes, you go; if he doesn't you don't. However, with なら, you going is only based on if it is true that your teacher is going to Japan. In a different way, you will go as long as it is true he's going, regardless when he goes.

• 先生が日本に行ったら、私も行きます。

If/when the teacher goes to Japan, I will go too.

This statement means that first, no matter what, the teacher has to leave to Japan before you do. Second, if it is not certain that the teacher is going, it sets up a condition for you to go. If it is certain your teacher will go, then it sets up a time when you will go to Japan.

Counter-factual

なら,　～たら and　～ば can all be used with counter-factual statements, statements like

If I had money, I would by a car (Currently, I have no money)

お金があるなら/あったら/あれば、車を買います。

と cannot be used with these types of statements.

A look at ～たら

～たら can be used in the past to mean "when", but it can only be used in sentences in outcomes that are out of your control, or ones you don't control Thus, the following sentence is wrong.

X 病院に行ったら、医者と話しました。

Instead, you will want to use 時:

病院に行く時に、医者と話しました。

Example sentences

With what we know, let's look at some example sentences. These are pulled from the internet.

From a gadget blog:

• 未来(みらい)へ行くなら、アンドロイドを待て。

If it is true you are going into the future, get a Android.

A TV site:

• 神戸(こべ)行くならシービットTVを入手する.

If it is true you're going to Kobe, get Seebit TV.

About an Udon diet:

• 食べればやせる！？

If you eat it (udon noodles), you will lose weight!?

about something technological:

• これを読めば後は何もいらない!

If you read this, afterwards, you won't need anything!

About a food (I think cocoa):

• 食べたらすぐ眠くなる

If you eat, you will immediately become sleepy.

I believe it is about public speaking:

• 人前で話すと緊張(きんちょう)する?

Do you get nervous when you talk in front of people?