N3 Hypotheticals, Conditionals, and Regret

~としたら/~とすれば: meaning, usage and examples

~としたら/~とすれば means: if... / assuming...

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

Examples

1. もし宝たからくじで1億おく円えん当あたったとしたら、仕事しごとをやめます。

   If I won 100 million yen in the lottery, I would quit my job.

2. 彼かれが犯人はんにんだとすれば、動機どうきは何なんだろう。

   If he is the culprit, what was his motive?

3. もし一年いちねん休やすみがあるとしたら、何なにをしたいですか。

   If you had a whole year off, what would you want to do?

4. この話はなしが本当ほんとうだとすれば、明日あしたは休やすみかもしれません。

   If this story is true, we might have the day off tomorrow.

When to use it

としたら and とすれば set up a supposition: "supposing that," "if we assume." Use them for imagined situations (宝たからくじが当あたったとしたら) or when you reason from information you are not sure is true: それが本当ほんとうだとしたら、大変たいへんだ ("If that is true, it is serious"). The second half is often a question, a guess, or a wish.

Nuance

Hypothetical and a little thoughtful. とすれば is slightly more formal and logical; としたら is common in conversation. Often paired with もし. The second clause is rarely a firm decision or a command.

Compare

たら is a general "if" or "when": 駅えきに着ついたら電話でんわして. なら picks up something just said: 京都きょうとに行いくなら、お寺てらを見みて. としたら assumes something that may be untrue or imagined: 京都きょうとに住すむとしたら、どこがいい？

Tip: Read it as "Suppose that..." When the English needs "suppose," としたら is a safe choice.

More on this in Japanese conditionals: tara, ba, nara and to.