なら

also: ならば

な

ら

Meanings

auxiliary

if; in the case that

Hypothetical form of the copula だ, used to mark a condition or supposition. Often attaches to nouns, na-adjectives, and plain-form clauses.

If it rains tomorrow, the game will be canceled.

彼かれが来くるなら、私わたしも行いきます。

If he's coming, I'll go too.

auxiliary

as for; on the topic of

Only with reading なら

Used with なら to single out a topic, often with a contrastive or emphatic nuance. Restricted to the reading なら.

Colloquial abbreviation of それなら, used as a conjunction to respond to a preceding statement.

〈物もの〉なら〈事こと〉as for X, ...(used to single out a topic)
車くるまなら、あの店みせがいいですよ。
If it's a car you want, that shop is good.
〈動どう詞し〉なら〈事こと〉if (someone) is going to do ~, then ...
行いくなら早はやく準じゅん備びして。
If you're going, get ready quickly.
〈形けい容よう詞し〉なら〈事こと〉if (something) is ~, then ...
静しずかなら勉べん強きょうできる。
If it's quiet, I can study.
できるならば〈事こと〉if possible, ...
できるならば、もっと早はやく来きてほしかった。
If it had been possible, I would have wanted you to come earlier.

たら sense 1
たら is a general-purpose conditional usable with any verb or adjective form, while なら is used mainly for suppositions based on something already stated or assumed.
それならN4sense 3
其れなら is the full, slightly more formal form meaning 'if that's the case', while なら is the colloquial abbreviation used in casual conversation.
ば sense 1
ば expresses a natural, logical consequence following from a condition, while なら is more subjective and often marks a topic the speaker is reacting to.
とN1sense 1
と describes an inevitable or automatic result of a condition, whereas なら expresses a hypothetical case based on the speaker's assumption.

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だったらN3
なら is the more general conditional word usable after nouns, verbs, and adjectives, while だったら is specifically the colloquial conditional form of the copula だ.
となれば
なら is a simple, everyday conditional particle, whereas となれば is more formal and emphatic, often implying a significant or consequential situation.
とすると
ならば is a more direct, general-purpose 'if so/if' used for hypotheticals or suggestions, while とすると specifically draws a logical consequence from a stated premise.
とすれば
ならば is a more literary, general conditional marker, while とすれば specifically follows a stated premise to draw a conclusion from it.

Derived from the classical copula なり (nari) in its hypothetical form なら (nara). The form ならば adds the classical conditional particle ば for emphasis.