Grammar Points

[andycarmenjapanese8100]

From Lower Beginner: Lesson 23: Mobile Phone

Today's grammar point is -tara and -nara, both of which form conditional phrases. Tara is a subordinate conjunction. In English, this roughly corresponds to "when," "if" and "after." Nara is the hypothetical form of the da copula, which expresses the speaker's supposition about the truth of a present or past fact or the actualization of something in the future.

I'm sure I'll be able to learn Japanese once I become an English professor so I can understand explanations like these.

Maybe write them in plain English?

[mmmason8967]

It's very difficult to talk about grammar without using the appropriate technical vocabulary. I don't think there are plain English ways of saying "subordinate conjunction" or "hypothetical form".

Sentences contain clauses, where a clause is basically one simple idea. For example, this is a sentence with one clause:-

I will buy her a birthday present.

This is a sentence with two clauses:-

I will buy her a birthday present even though I can't afford it.

In both sentences, the main clause is "I will buy her a birthday present". The main clause contains the most essential thing we are saying. In the second sentence, "I can't afford it" is a subordinate clause: it adds information to what's being said in the main clause. And "even though" is a subordinate conjunction: it joins the subordinate clause to the main clause. Other subordinate conjunctions are although, if, when and unless.

The hypothetical form expresses possibility--what might have been or what could be. A couple of examples:-

I would have bought her a birthday present but I couldn't afford it.

I will buy her a birthday present if I can afford it.

Hope that helps.

マイケル

[community.japanese]

andycarmenjapanese8100-san, マイケルsan,
thank you very much for your kind help, マイケルsan!!
I think the explanation was perfect and there's nothing to add.

Explaining language (grammar) by language sounds very difficult, unfortunately
This "nara" and "tara" are one of those words with similar meaning (hence, difficult to understand).
So, if you don't understand what English exaplanation is actually saying, please go to example sentences.
If you have questions there, of course you're always welcome to ask any questions!!

Natsuko(奈津子),
Team JapanesePod101.com