Placing “[Noun]+nara,” you can bring a noun up and say your proposal about the noun.
1. Onsen nara, Beppu ga Ii desu. (When it comes to hot springs, Beppu is a good place.)
2. Suki’i nara, Hokkaidou ga Ii desu. (As for Skiing, Hokkaido is a good place.)
Actually, if “nara” is replaced with “wa” which is the topic marker, the sentence still makes sense.
1’. Onsen wa Beppu ga Ii desu. (When it comes to hot springs, Beppu is a good place.)
2’. Suki’i wa Hokkaidou ga Ii desu. (As for Skiing, Hokkaido is a good place.)
1’ and 2’ are so-called “wa-ga construction” which I don’t like. But anyway, using “nara” gives a nuance that you bring it up to present and specify what you are going to talk about.
And it is also important to note this is “[Noun]+nara”. In the section 35, we have been learning two conjunctive particles; “-ba,” and “-nara,” that can make a hypothetical subordinate clause. And at the level of beginners, it is better to think that “-ba,” is used for verbs and I-adjectives (-kereba,), and “-nara” is used for Na-adjectives and Nouns. But for Japanese learners of intermediate and advanced levels, the difference between “-ba” and “-nara” would be a matter to know more precisely.
3. (WRONG) Onsen e Ikeba, Beppu ga Ii desu.
1. Onsen nara, Beppu ga Ii desu. (When it comes to hot springs, Beppu is a good place.)
4. Onsen e Iku no nara, Beppu ga Ii desu. (If you want to go to a hot spring, Beppu is a good place.)
As shown in the sentence 3, “Ikeba” cannot be used in this context. In the sentence 1, “Onsen” is presented in the form of “[Noun]+nara”. “nana” should be attached to a noun, this is a basic. Therefore, you see “no” between the verb “Iku” and “nara” in the sentence 4. Although you need to use “no” as a segment in order to make a verb noun-equivalent, “nara” can also be used for a verb. If the choice of “ba” or “nara” is not depending on “Verbs and I-adejctives” or “Na-adjectives and Nouns”, how can we choose one of “ba” and “nara”? This is a tough question. For the sake of simplicity, let me say that “-ba,” is to indicate a condition, “-nara,” is to virtualize a hypothesis.
5. Beppu e Ikeba, Ii Onsen ni Hairu Koto ga Deki masu.
(If you go to Beppu. you will be able to bathe a good hot spring.)
Going to Beppu is a condition in order for you to bathe a good hot spring.
6. Nihon niwa Iroirona Kankouchi ga Arimasu. Moshi Onsen e Iku no nara, Beppu Onsen ga Ii desu. (There are many kinds of sightseeing spots in Japan. If you go to a hot spring, Beppu is a good one.)
Or more lengthy translation would be “I am not sure whether or not you are going to a hot spring in Japan, but if I hypothetically assume that you are going to a hot spring, I think Beppu could be a good choice for you.”
Probably the argument through the sentence 3 to 6 are difficult to understand. Let me say this, “nara” is for a noun and Na-adjective. I don’t want a textbook for beginners to show “Yasui nara”.
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This post was written with reference to the exercise A6 on Section35 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”
