N2 Hypothetical and Conditional

~ものなら/~もんなら: meaning, usage and examples

~ものなら/~もんなら means: if it were possible to... / if I could...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 時間じかんを戻もどせるものなら、戻もどしたい。

   If I could turn back time, I would.

2. 飛とべるもんなら、飛とんでみたい。

   If I could fly, I'd like to try.

3. 帰かえれるものなら、今いますぐにでも国くにへ帰かえりたい。

   If I could, I'd go back to my home country right now.

4. やり直なおせるものなら、学生がくせい時代じだいからやり直なおしたいです。

   If I could start over, I'd go back to my school days and start again.

When to use it

Expresses a wish about something that is hard or nearly impossible: "if I could, I would". The verb is usually in potential form, and the second clause says what the speaker wants: 戻もどれるものなら、学生がくせい時代じだいに戻もどりたい (if I could go back, I'd return to my student days). It can also be a challenge: できるものならやってみろ (try it if you can).

Nuance

ものなら is neutral; もんなら is casual speech. The second clause is a wish or volition (～たい, ～てみたい, ～てほしい) or a challenge. The speaker assumes the thing is unlikely, so it carries a feeling of longing or doubt.

Compare

ようものなら uses the volitional form and warns of a bad result: 遅刻ちこくしようものなら怒おこられる. ものなら uses the potential form and expresses a wish: 休やすめるものなら休やすみたい. たら is neutral and does not imply that something is nearly impossible: 休やすめたら休やすみたい.

Tip: Potential form + ものなら = a wish. Volitional form + ものなら = a warning. Check the verb form first.