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Definition 2024


なら

なら

Japanese

Particle

なら (romaji nara)

  1. A conditional particle appended to the plain form of a verb.
    • 暑いなら、エアコンをつけて。
      あついなら、エアコンをつけて。
      Atsui nara, eakon o tsukete.
      If you’re hot, turn on the air conditioner.

Usage notes

  • Use of なら (nara) implies that the verb before なら (nara) succeeds the verb after なら (nara) in time. This is the opposite of the conditional particle たら (tara), which implies that the first verb will precede the second verb. Contrast:
    友達 (ともだち) ()なら (わたし)はピザを注文 (ちゅうもん)する。
    Tomodachi ga kuru nara, watashi wa piza o chūmon suru.
    If our friends come, I will order pizza [first].
    友達 (ともだち) ()たら (わたし)はピザを注文 (ちゅうもん)する。
    Tomodachi ga kitara, watashi wa piza o chūmon suru.
    If our friends come, I will order pizza [afterward].
    • Notice that a verb in the past tense is needed to use たら (tara). The ~た (~ta) from the past tense is replaced by たら (tara).
  • Another well-known contrast between the two conditionals is the popular public service announcement:
     ()んだら ()るな。 ()なら ()むな。
    Nondara noru na. Noru nara nomu na.
    If you drink, don’t drive. If you [are going to] drive, don’t drink.

Proper noun

なら (romaji Nara)

  1. 奈良: Nara, a city in central Japan.
    奈良 (なら) (けん)
    Nara-ken.
    Nara Prefecture.
    奈良 (なら)時代 (じだい)
    Nara-jidai.
    The Nara Period.

Derived terms

  • 奈良盆地 (Nara-bonchi) nara
  • 奈良奉行 (Nara-bugyō)
  • 奈良漬け (Nara-duke) Nara pickles
  • 奈良絵本 (Nara-ehon) nara picture book
  • 奈良法師 (Nara-hōshi)
  • 奈良一刀彫 (Nara-ittōbori)
  • 奈良時代 (Nara-jidai) nara-era
  • 奈良街道 (Nara-kaidō) nara street
  • 奈良線 (Nara-sen) nara-line

See also