Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 1: 18/23

それならThen, If that's the case

Structure

それなら + Phrase

Details

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About それなら

Acting as a conjunction, それなら is a structure used for highlighting that if the previous statement is the case, then (B) will probably also be true, or will need to be considered. それなら may be interpreted as 'if that's the case, then (B)'.

それなら is most often used when replying to some statement that the speaker has just heard from another person. In these cases, it will come before some sort of guess, suggestion, or consideration about what the speaker has just heard.

だったら and それだったら may also be seen, and carry the same meaning.

Examples

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    遠藤(えんどう)さん：「アプリをもっと使(つか)いやすくしました。」
    土井(どい)さん：「それなら普及(ふきゅう)すると思(おも)います。」

    Endo-san: 'They made the application easier to use.'
    Doi-san: 'If that is the case, I think it will spread.'

    岩村(いわむら)さん：「もう誰(だれ)も食(た)べないんだね。」
    山崎(やまさき)さん：「それなら蓋(ふた)をした方(ほう)がいい。」

    Iwamura-san: 'No one else is going to eat anymore.'
    Yamasaki-san: 'If that is the case, it would be good to put the lid on.'

    藤本(ふじもと)さん：「この戸(と)は鍵(かぎ)が壊(こわ)れてかからない。」
    横山(よこやま)さん：「それならあまりにも物騒(ぶっそう)だ。」

    Fujimoto-san: 'The lock on this door is broken and won't lock.'
    Yokoyama-san: 'If that is the case, it is exceedingly dangerous.'

    松本(まつもと)さん：「あそこは開(あ)かずの踏切(ふみきり)だ。」
    山端(やまはた)さん：「それなら陸橋(りっきょう)を渡(わた)った方(ほう)がいい。」

    Matsumoto-san: 'That is a railway crossing that never opens.'
    Yamahata-san: 'If that is the case, it would be better to go over the overpass.'

    森口(もりぐち)さん：「今(いま)鍋(なべ)が使(つか)えない。」
    上田(うえだ)さん：「それなら代(か)わりにフライパンを使(つか)えばいい。」

    Moriguchi-san: 'Right now we can't use the pot.'
    Ueda-san: 'If that is the case, it would be good if we used a frying pan as a substitute.'

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      それなら – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (1 in total)

      • Kert

        Kert

        From one of the examples:
        森口さん:「今鍋が使えない。」
        上田さん:「それなら代わりにフライパンを使えばいい。」
        I feel ingeniously tricked that this doesn’t mean “I can’t make a stew (鍋). Make some fried bread (フライパン) instead”
        作る and 使う always fool me

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