N4 — outside your level filter
ば
ばbaN4neutral
Same meaning10
if; when
- ば〜ほどthe more you do X, the more Y — two things rising togetherattaches at
- ばいいit'd be good to do; you can just do — low-stakes adviceattaches at
- 場合in the case that; if — a scenario named as a conditionattaches at
- 限りas long as; unless — marks the outer edge of what stays trueattaches at
- ものならif only it were possible to; if you were to — disaster followsattaches at
- ならif (that's the case); as for — picks up what was just saidattaches at
- たらif; when; once — after the condition completesattaches at
- たらいいit'd be good if you did — advice fit to this one caseattaches at
- とwhenever; when — one thing automatically brings the nextattaches at
- としたらsupposing that; if we assume — a hypothesis set up for argument's sakeattaches at
All examples5
if — a condition presented as enough for the result, like a rule
この道をまっすぐ行けば、駅に出ます。
kono michi o massugu ikeba, eki ni demasu.
You will come out at the station if you go straight down this road. neutral
安ければ買うんだけどなあ。
yasukereba kau n da kedo naa.
I'd buy it if it were cheap. casual
書類がそろっていれば、その場で手続きができます。
shorui ga sorotte ireba, sono ba de tetsuzuki ga dekimasu.
Provided your documents are in order, the procedure can be completed on the spot. formal
if it had been — a condition known false, answered with だろう
あの日あなたに会っていなければ、今の生活は全く違うものになっていただろう。
ano hi anata ni atte inakereba, ima no seikatsu wa mattaku chigau mono ni natte ita darou.
If I hadn't met you that day, my life now would be completely different. neutral
もう少し早く気づいていれば、こんなことにはならなかったのに。
mou sukoshi hayaku kizuite ireba, konna koto ni wa naranakatta noni.
If I'd noticed a bit sooner, it would never have come to this. casual
How it's formed2
Notes
verb (×駅に行けば買ってきて); a state or adjective before ば
allows it (時間があれば来てください).