← back to としたら

としたら details

Examples

supposing that; if we assume — a hypothesis the speaker sets up for the sake of argument, often counterfactual or unlikely

もしたからくじがたったとしたら、なにをする?

moshi takarakuji ga atatta to shitara, nani o suru?

If you won the lottery, what would you do? casual

この計画けいかく本当ほんとう実現じつげんするとしたら、予算よさんはどのくらい必要ひつようですか。

kono keikaku ga hontou ni jitsugen suru to shitara, yosan wa dono kurai hitsuyou desu ka.

Supposing this plan actually happened, about how much budget would we need? neutral

かり交渉こうしょう決裂けつれつするとすれば、つぎ一手いっていまからかんがえておくべきだ。

kari ni koushou ga ketsuretsu suru to sureba, tsugi no itte o ima kara kangaete oku beki da.

Supposing the negotiations were to collapse, we should be thinking now about our next move. formal

Formation

Notes

もし often opens the clause (もし〜としたら) though it isn't required. The
する marking is what licenses the overt-supposition reading, distinct from
なら's anaphoric pickup of a premise already on the table.

Related patterns

Similar

  • なら is anaphoric — it takes up a premise already on the table, something said, assumed, or contextually given; としたら overtly marks its clause as a constructed supposition via する, which is why it reads naturally heading into argumentation and into questions probing a hypothetical (この計画[けいかく]が実現[じつげん]するとしたら、予算[よさん]はどのくらい必要[ひつよう]ですか).

  • としたら proposes a hypothesis the speaker builds for the sake of argument, often counterfactual; 場合 states a factual branch a rule or plan needs to cover, and reads far more neutral and procedural.

  • Both add とする to mark an overt, constructed supposition, but としたら threads into a CONDITIONAL continuation (if X, then Y follows — 予算[よさん]が足[た]りないとしたら、どうする?), while としても threads into a CONCESSION (even if X, Y still doesn't change — 予算[よさん]が足[た]りないとしても、進[すす]めるべきだ) — same hypothesis frame, opposite logical connective riding on it.

Lookalikes

  • The と here is not the automatic-consequence と of 押[お]すと — としたら needs the full と+する+たら frame to mark a stated hypothesis and drops と's lawlike, exceptionless reading; 明日[あした]雨[あめ]が降[ふ]るとしたら imagines a scenario, 雨[あめ]が降[ふ]ると states a rule.

Same meaning

if; when

PatternAttaches to
ば〜ほど
ばいい
場合
限り
なら
たら
たらいい