そうなら
sō nara
In Japanese, the phrase 'if so' is expressed as そうなら (sō nara).
This phrase is used to respond to a premise or a situation just mentioned by the speaker or listener, introducing a result or an action that follows if that previously mentioned condition is true.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of sō (so/that way) and nara (if/in the case of).
Which one should you use?
そうだったら is a common way to express 'if so' using the past conditional, often used in spoken conversation. そうならば serves as a more formal or emphatic version of そうなら.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
そうなら is suitable for casual conversation or when speaking to someone of equal or lower status. For highly formal professional or written contexts, use そうであれば.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form そうならば is a more formal or emphatic version of そうなら. Additionally, そうだったら uses the past conditional to express the idea in spoken conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
sō nara
Did you know?
- While そうなら is a conditional, it is frequently used to politely disagree or challenge a premise by starting a sentence with 'if that is truly the case, then…'.
- Unlike other Japanese conditionals, なら allows a speaker to use the provided information to immediately pivot the conversation toward a counter-suggestion.
- While 'if so' can be translated as そうなら, using the version with 'desu' as そうですなら is a common mistake that sounds childish or non-native to Japanese ears.
Examples in context
- そうなら、手伝いますよ。sounara, tetsudaimasu yo.If so, I will help you.
- そうなら、中止にしましょう。sounara, chuushi ni shimashou.If so, let's cancel it.
- そうなら、すぐ連絡してください。sounara, sugu renraku shite kudasai.If so, please contact me immediately.
