Japanese grammar
What does もしも～なら mean? Japanese grammar N3
もしも～なら means if, supposing that…; if by any chance….
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N3 |
|---|---|
| Structure | もしも + plain form + なら もしも + N + なら |
| Romaji | moshimo nara |
| Meaning | if, supposing that…; if by any chance… |
Forming it
| Noun | 本当 → もしもそれが本当なら |
|---|---|
| Verb | 来ない → もしも彼が来ないなら |
How to use it
A hypothesis about something UNLIKELY to happen or undesired. 「もしも」 is stronger than 「もし」.
- 「もしも」 = suppose that, emphasizing that this possibility is very low: 「もしも宝くじが当たったら、家を買う」.
- Because it carries a "just in case" nuance, it's often used for bad situations: 「もしもの時のために、保険に入る」 (get insurance in case something happens).
- The noun phrase 「もしものこと」 means "something unfortunate" — worth memorizing as a set vocabulary item.
Examples
もしも彼が来ないなら、私たちだけで始めましょう。
If by chance he does not come, let us start without him.
もしものことがあったら、この番号に連絡してください。
If anything should happen, please call this number.
Keep in mind
- 「もしも」 is used for low-probability cases; for everyday matters, use 「もし」.
- A noun connects directly with 「なら」.
Common mistakes
-
Wrongもしも明日会議があるなら、資料を用意します。
If there's a meeting tomorrow, I'll prepare the materials.
Correctもし明日会議があるなら、資料を用意します。
For an ordinary thing that could still happen, use 「もし」; 「もしも」 is for low-probability cases.
-
Wrongもしもそれが本当だなら、大変だ。
If that's true, it'll be a big problem.
Correctもしもそれが本当なら、大変だ。
Nouns and na-adjectives connect directly to 「なら」, without adding 「だ」.
Exam tips
- 「もしも～なら」 = suppose that (low probability); 「もしものこと」 = something unfortunate.