ようなら ｖｓ ものなら

[jellyjello]

Can someone please teach me what's the difference of the two sentences below?


日本に行けるようなら....


日本に行けるものなら....

 

[masaegu]

Can someone please teach me what's the difference of the two sentences below?


日本に行けるようなら....


日本に行けるものなら....

The difference is in the degree of probability or likelihood that someone might get to go to Japan.

ようなら expresses a fairly good chance and the speaker would usually have in mind a specific time frame for the event to occur. = "If it looks like I could go to Japan (e.g. next year), ~~~."

ものなら implies a very low possibility. = "If I ever get to go to Japan, ~~~."

 

[jellyjello]

Thank you very much for the explanation @masaegu

So is there another difference between

日本に行けるなら

日本に行けるようなら

 

[masaegu]

So is there another difference between :?

日本に行けるなら

日本に行けるようなら

The difference between those two is nearly nonexistent, at least in terms of the degree of probability. I could not, off the top of my head, think of a situation where the two could not be used interchangeably.

It just sounds more refined or mature if one adds the よう there than not.

 

[jellyjello]

Thank you very much masaegu

 

[Elizabeth]

～ものなら（ば）seems like it could be similar to とすると to express a hypothetical or uncertain assumption about something but ～ものなら（ば） may be more natural in the case of a personal wish or circumstance that is difficult to fulfill (If it is possible that/if only I could....)