N2 Hypothetical and Conditional

~ようものなら: meaning, usage and examples

~ようものなら means: if one were to... (negative consequence).

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

Examples

1. 遅刻ちこくしようものなら、叱しかられるだろう。

   If I were to be late, I'd probably get scolded.

2. 秘密ひみつを話はなそうものなら、大変たいへんなことになる。

   If I were to tell the secret, it would be terrible.

3. 父ちちの前まえでたばこを吸すおうものなら、ひどく怒おこられる。

   If I were to smoke in front of my father, I'd get a harsh scolding.

4. この道みちは少すこしでも雨あめが降ふろうものなら、すぐ通とおれなくなる。

   If it rains even a little, this road soon becomes impassable.

When to use it

Warns that if someone did a certain thing, even a small thing, something bad would follow. It often exaggerates the result: 一分いっぷん、先生せんせいに怒おこられる (if you're even one minute late, the teacher gets angry). People use it to describe strict people, risky situations or fragile things.

Nuance

Spoken and written; sounds dramatic and somewhat exaggerated. The second clause is a negative or troublesome result (大変たいへんなことになる, 怒おこられる, すぐ壊こわれる). It is not used for good results or for the speaker's wishes.

Compare

ものなら with the potential form expresses a wish: 帰かえれるものなら帰かえりたい. ようものなら with the volitional form warns of trouble: 帰かえろうものなら怒おこられる. ば or たら are neutral: 遅おくれたら怒おこられる, while ようものなら adds "just try it and see what happens".

Tip: The volitional よう/おう makes it a warning. Expect 大変たいへんだ, 怒おこられる or another bad result at the end.