～たら (tara-form) - conditional/when

The core of ~tara is sequence. Think of it as a logical timeline. Action A must happen first, then Action B can follow. It’s like a grammar traffic light: Action A turns green, and only then can Action B drive through. The "tara" part actually comes from the past tense ~ta form plus ra. By using the past tense as a base, you’re essentially saying, "Once this has happened... then this other thing comes next." It’s great because it’s not just for hypothetical situations. It works for things you know will happen (like getting home) and things that might happen (like winning the lottery). If you’re ever in doubt about which conditional to use, ~tara is usually your safest bet.

1. 1Creating the ~tara form is easier than it looks. If you already know your ~ta form (the plain past tense), you’re 90% of the way there. Just add ra! Here is the step-by-step breakdown:
2. 2Verbs: Change to the ~ta form and add ra. For taberu (to eat), it becomes tabeta → tabetara.
3. 3I-Adjectives: Remove the final ~i, add ~kattara. For samui (cold), it becomes samukattara.
4. 4Na-Adjectives: Add ~dattara to the base. For kirei (beautiful), it becomes kirei dattara.
5. 5Nouns: Just like Na-Adjectives, add ~dattara. For ame (rain), it becomes ame dattara.
6. 6Negatives: Take the ~nai form, change it to ~nakatta, and add ra. So, tabenai → tabenakattara (if you don't eat).

You can use ~tara in three main scenarios. First, the "If" Scenario. This is for hypotheticals. "If I have money, I'll buy that fancy camera." Okane ga attara, kamera o kaimasu. Second, the "When" Scenario. This is for things that are certain to happen in the future. "When I get to the airport, I'll buy a coffee." Kuukou ni tuitara, koohii o kaimasu. Third, the "Discovery" Scenario. This is a cool B1 level trick. You use it to describe something unexpected that happened after an action. "When I opened the window, a bird flew in." Mado o aketara, tori ga haitte kita. It’s like telling a story where one action triggers a surprise.

While ~tara is versatile, it has one major "No-Go" zone. You shouldn't use it for things that are automatic laws of nature or habitual actions where ~to is better. For example, "If you push this button, the water comes out" sounds a bit more natural with ~to. Also, avoid using ~tara if the two actions are happening at the exact same time. ~tara demands a sequence. If you try to use it for simultaneous actions, it sounds like you’re trying to walk through a door before you’ve opened it. Finally, don't use it in very formal writing where ~ba or ~nara might be more appropriate, though in conversation, ~tara is king.

The most common face-palm moment for learners is forgetting the ~ta form base. Don't say taberara—it’s tabetara. Another classic mix-up is with i-adjectives. Many people say samuitara, but you need that ~kat sound: samukattara. It feels like a bit of a tongue twister at first, but your mouth will get used to it. Also, watch out for the "Discovery" use. If you use ~tara to describe a surprise, the second part of the sentence must be in the past tense. You can't say "When I open the door, a bird *will* fly in" using the discovery pattern. That would just be a weirdly specific prediction!

You might be thinking, "Wait, what about ~ba, ~to, and ~nara?" Here is the cheat sheet. ~to is for "Automatic" things—push a button, get juice. ~ba is the "Requirement" conditional—often used for advice or logic. ~nara is the "Context" conditional—it's like saying "If that's the case..." or "If we are talking about X..." ~tara is the "Sequence" conditional. It’s the most conversational and allows you to express your own will, desires, and requests in the second half of the sentence, which ~to and ~ba often restrict. Think of ~tara as the friendly extrovert of the conditional family.