Japanese learning (A1 S25): Two Conjunctive Particles “-tara” and “-temo”; “-tara” is “So-Therefore” type, and “-temo” is “But-However” type;

As to conjunctive particle, we have already learned a few of them such as “-kara,” and “-to,”. Let us review a little about conjunctive particles. Suppose there are two sentences.

{Sentence1}. [Conjunctive], {Sentence2}.

Usually, you put a conjunctive at the beginning of the second sentence. Depending on the relation between the Sentence 1 and 2, there are two major types of conjunctives; One is So-Therefore type, and the other is But-However type. Of course, the Sentence1 comes first, and then you will hear or read the Sentence 2. If the sentence 2 is expected one from what the sentence 1 is saying, So-Therefore type conjunctives are used. But if the sentence 2 is unexpected one from the sentence 1, But-Therefore type conjunctives are used. This combination of two sentences with a conjunctive is also used in Japanese as show below;

(1) Kyou wa Ame desu. Dakara, Soto ni Dekakemasen. (It’s rainy. So, I will not go outside.)

(2) Kyou wa Ame desu. Demo, Soto ni Dekakemasu. (It’s rainy. But, I will go outside.)

– Dekakeru/Dekakemasu: Gr1 verb; go outside

“Dakara” in the sentence (1) is a So-Therefore type conjunctive, and “Demo” in (2) is a But-However type. Being able to use (1) and (2) like two sentence combination is good, but it is also important to learn the following construction of one sentence consisting two clauses with “Conjunctive Particle”.

[Clause1] + [conjunctive particle], [Clause2].

Also for conjunctive particles, there are two major groups as well as conjunctives; one is So-Therefore type and But-However type.

(3) Ame dattara, Soto ni Dekakemasen. (If it’s rainy, I will not go outside.)

(4) Ame demo, Soto ni Dekakemasu. (Even if it’s rainy, I will go outside.)

The conjunctive particle “-tara,” is So-Therefore type, and “-demo,” is But-However type. Do you find “If” and “Even if” in English translations of (3) and (4)? The section 25 is for learning two conjunctive particles which make conditional clauses; “-tara,” and “-temo,”. For this purpose, the exercise 1 shows you many connections of “-tara,” and “-temo,” with verbs, I-adjectives, Na-adjectives, and Nouns.

<1> Verbs

<1>-1 Verbs + tara = [V-ta] + ra

If you are not familiar with Te-form of verb, please refer to the post:

Japanese Learning (A1 S14): How to Convert a Verb from “Masu-form” to “Te-Form”; I/Chi/Ri=>tte, Bi/Mi/Ni=>nde, Ki=>ite, Gi=>ide, Shi=>shite, and Itte is special for Group 1

It is easy to get Ta-form of a verb if you already know how to make Te-form of a verb. It’s just replacing “te” with “ta”, or “de” with “da”. Once you have got a Ta-form, then put “ra” behind of it.

<1>-2 Verbs + temo = [V-te] + mo

It is just to put “mo” behind a [Te-form].

 The following examples show you the connections of verbs and “tara” and “temo” in the order of [Masu-form], [Ta-form]+ra, and [Te-form]+mo.

Gr2 verbs

– Mimasu (see, look at, watch) — Mitara — Mitemo

– Tabemasu (eat) — Tabetara — Tabetemo

Gr3 verbs

– Kimasu (come to this side) — Kitara — Kitemo

– Ikimasu (go, come to you) — Ittara — Ittemo

Gr1-W verbs

– Tsukaimasu (use) — Tsukattara — Tsukattemo

Gr1-K

– Hatarakimasu (work) — Hataraitara — Hataraitemo

Gr1-G

– Isogimasu (hurry, hasten) — Isoidara — Isoidemo

Gr1-S

– Hanashimasu (speak, talk) — Hanashitara — Hanashitemo

Gr1-T

– Machimasu (wait) — Mattara — Mattemo

Gr1-B

– Tobimasu (fly) — Tondara — Tondemo

Gr1-M

– Nomimasu (drink) — Nondara — Nondemo

Gr1-R

– Tsukurimasu (make. cook) — Tsukuttara — Tsukuttemo

<2> I-adjectives

The following examples show you the connections of I-adjectives and “tara” and “temo” in the order of [I-adj]+desu, [I-adj]+tara, and [I-adj]+temo.

– Samui desu — Samukattara — Samukutemo

– Tanoshii desu — Tanoshikattara — Tanoshikutemo

– Ii desu — Yokattara — Yokutemo

<3> Na-adjectives

The following examples show you the connections of Na-adjectives and “tara” and “temo” in the order of [Na-adj]+desu, [Na-adj]+tara, and [Na-adj]+demo.

– Kirei desu — Kirei dattara — Kirei demo

– Suki desu — Suki dattara — Suki demo

– Kantan desu — Kantan dattara — Kantan demo

<4> Nouns

The following examples show you the connections of Nouns and “tara” and “temo” in the order of [Noun]+desu, [Noun]+dattara, and [Noun]+demo.

– Ame desu — Ame dattara — Ame demo

– Shigoto desu — Shigoto dattara — Shigoto demo

Remember that the conjunctive particle “-tara,” is used for “So-Therefore” connection to the main clause, and “-temo,” is used for “But-However” connection to the main clause.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A1 on Section25 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”