Use of なら

thesuker

先輩

20 May 2014

242

3

• 6 Apr 2015

• #1

I've started studying なら and I don't quite understand it's use. The examples given are:

* ブラジルに行ったことがありますか。
- メキシコなら行ったことがありますが、ブラジルは行ったことがありません。

* 日本語がわかりますか。
- ひらがなならわかります。

In the first example, what would the difference be with an answer without なら?
In the second example, the textbook translates the sentence as: If it's in hiragana, yes. Is なら a way of forming conditional sentences?

 

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

Twenty-year veteran

15 Mar 2002

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• 6 Apr 2015

• #2

Yes, なら is a conditional. What textbook are you using?

 

thesuker

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20 May 2014

242

3

• 6 Apr 2015

• Thread starter
• #3

Genki II, first chapter, page 14.

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

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• 6 Apr 2015

• #4

thesuker said:

In the first example, what would the difference be with an answer without なら?

Click to expand...

In those two examples, なら works as a contrastive marker. It's similar to は, but is used in response to what was said.

なら
［副助］《断定の助動詞「なり」の未然形から》体言に付く。話題となるものを取り上げて示す。…について言えば。「母―間もなく帰ると思います」

Click to expand...

なら［副助並助］の意味 - 国語辞書 - goo辞書

 

thesuker

先輩

20 May 2014

242

3

• 7 Apr 2015

• Thread starter
• #5

So the idea behind it is a bit like that of だけ?

Also, this is from an exercise in the book. Would the answers be a correct use of なら?

外国語ができますか。 ええ、英語とスペイン語ならできます。
日本の料理が作れますか。 ええ、寿司なら作れます。
有名人にあったことがありますか。 いいえ、平常な人ならあったことがあります (not sure if 平常人 is correct, used 平常 from a dictionary)
楽器ができますか。 ええ、ギタ－ならできます。
お金が貸せますか。 ええ、１０００円なら貸せます。

 

Last edited: 7 Apr 2015

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

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• 7 Apr 2015

• #6

Not really. Unlike だけ, なら doesn't limit the target. For instance, ギタ－ならできます doesn't mean they can only play guitar. It just emphasizes it. (Actually, there is an expression だけなら.)

 

thesuker

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20 May 2014

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• 7 Apr 2015

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• #7

Now I'm really confused. The book says the idea behind なら is limitation and contrast. Wouldn't ギターならできます be: I can play the guitar, in contrast to other instruments, which I can't?

 

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

Twenty-year veteran

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• 7 Apr 2015

• #8

thesuker said:

Now I'm really confused. The book says the idea behind なら is limitation and contrast. Wouldn't ギターならできます be: I can play the guitar, in contrast to other instruments, which I can't?

Click to expand...

In contrast to what was already specifically mentioned by the other person.

 

thesuker

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20 May 2014

242

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• 7 Apr 2015

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• #9

So in

thesuker said:

* 日本語がわかりますか。
- ひらがなならわかります。

Click to expand...

ひらがなならわかります is in contrast with 日本語がわらきます in general?

 

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

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15 Mar 2002

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• 7 Apr 2015

• #10

thesuker said:

So in


ひらがなならわかります is in contrast with 日本語がわらきます in general?

Click to expand...

Did you make that one up or did you see it somewhere?

 

thesuker

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20 May 2014

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• 7 Apr 2015

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• #11

It's one of the examples given in the Genki II textbook. It is explained as that a smaller part, hiragana, is brought up and contrasted with a larger part, the language as a whole.

 

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

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• 7 Apr 2015

• #12

This particular use of なら expresses a distinction we would typically do with stress in English. Compare the difference:

Q. Can you play an instrument?
A. I can play guitar.

Q. Can you play an instrument?
A. I can play guitar.

 

thesuker

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20 May 2014

242

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• 7 Apr 2015

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• #13

オ－ケ－。分かりました。ありがとうございます、とりとりべさん、マイクさん。