N4 Verb Forms

仮定かてい形けい: meaning, usage and examples

仮定かてい形けい means: Verb Conditional-form.

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

Examples

1. 飲のめば、食たべれば、すれば、来くれば

   [Conditional-form] of drink, eat, do, come

2. 春はるが来くれば、桜さくらが咲さきます。

   When spring comes, the cherry blossoms will bloom.

3. 毎日まいにち練習れんしゅうすれば、上手じょうずになりますよ。

   If you practice every day, you will get better.

4. この薬くすりを飲のめば、すぐ治なおります。

   If you take this medicine, you will get better soon.

5. 急いそがなければ、電車でんしゃに遅おくれます。

   If we don't hurry, we'll be late for the train.

When to use it

The conditional ば form means "if" and links a condition to its result: 練習れんしゅうすれば上手じょうずになります (If you practice, you will improve). It is often used for general truths, advice and what you need to do to get a result. The negative なければ means "if you don't" and appears in なければならない (must).

Nuance

ば focuses on the condition: "only if this happens, that follows." When the second half is a request, invitation or intention (ください, ましょう, つもり), ば is usually avoided if the first half is an action verb; use たら instead. い-adjectives use -ければ (高たかければ) and nouns or な-adjectives use なら.

Compare

ば (general condition): 押おせば開あきます. たら (after it happens, also for one-time events and requests): 駅えきに着ついたら電話でんわしてください. と (always, automatic result): 押おすと開あきます. なら (if that is the case, responding to a topic): 京都きょうとに行いくなら、お寺てらを見みてください.

Tip: The form is easy: change the last -u sound to -e and add ば (飲のむ -> 飲のめば). For requests after "if," choose たら instead.

More on this in Japanese verb conjugation.