Differences: ば vs たら vs なら vs と

Japanese conditionals are all about the relationship between two things. We have the "Condition" (Part A) and the "Result" (Part B). The particle you choose tells the listener how Part A leads to Part B. Is it a natural law? Is it a personal suggestion? Or is it just a sequence of events?

• と is the "Natural Result" (If A, then B always happens).
• ば is the "Logical Condition" (If A happens, then B will follow).
• たら is the "Daily Life If" (When/If A happens, then B).
• なら is the "Contextual If" (If that is what you are talking about, then B).

1. 1For と: Use the Dictionary Form of a verb or an i-adjective + と. For nouns and na-adjectives, add だ + と.
2. 2For ば: For verbs, change the final u sound to an e sound and add ば. For i-adjectives, drop the i and add ければ. For nouns/na-adjectives, use なら (which is actually the ば form of the copula).
3. 3For たら: Take the Plain Past Form (the た form) and add ら. This works for verbs, adjectives, and nouns alike.
4. 4For なら: Use the Dictionary Form or just the Noun itself + なら. No extra particles needed for nouns.

Use と for things that are 100% certain. Think of natural laws or machine operations. "If you push this button, the light turns on." It is also great for giving directions. "If you go straight, you will see the station." It feels objective and robotic—in a good way! Use it for habits too, like "If it is morning, I drink coffee."

Use ば when you want to focus on the condition itself. It is often used for "if and only if" scenarios. It sounds a bit more formal and logical. It is perfect for job interviews or discussing rules. "If you have a passport, you can enter." It is also the go-to for set phrases like よければ (if it's okay with you).

Use たら for almost everything else. It is the most flexible and common form. If you are unsure, たら is usually your safest bet. It works for one-time events and personal intentions. "If I win the lottery, I will buy a house." It also implies a sequence: "When I get home, I will call you."

Use なら when you are responding to what someone else said. If a friend says, "I'm going to Tokyo," you say, "If you are going to Tokyo (東京に行くなら), buy some snacks!" It provides advice or suggestions based on the current context.

Do not use と when the second part of the sentence is a command, request, or personal will. You cannot say, "If it rains, please use an umbrella" using と. It sounds like the rain is physically forcing the person to hold the umbrella!

Avoid using ば for past events that actually happened. ば is for hypothetical logic. Also, like と, it usually doesn't play well with commands unless the verb in the first part is a state (like ある or いる).

Do not use なら for natural laws. Saying "If it becomes spring, flowers bloom" with なら sounds like you are debating whether spring will actually happen.

A classic mistake is using と for personal plans. "If I go to the party, I'll see him." If you use と here, it sounds like your body automatically teleports to him the moment you enter the room. Use たら instead.

Another one is mixing up なら and たら. Remember: なら is about the information on the table. たら is about the timing of events. If you use なら for a sequence, you might end up saying "If you are going to eat (later), wash your hands (now)," which is fine, but "After you eat, wash your hands" requires たら.

Let's compare たら and と in a real-world scenario: ordering food. If you say これを食べると、お腹が痛くなる, you are saying "Whenever I eat this, my stomach hurts (every time)." If you say これを食べたら、お腹が痛くなる, you mean "If I eat this (this one time), my stomach will probably hurt."

Now, look at ば vs なら. 安ければ買います (ば) means "If it is cheap (and that is the condition), I will buy it." 安いなら買います (なら) means "If (as you say) it is cheap, then I will buy it." The second one relies on the other person's claim.