Do You Ever Wonder “What If”? Step Into the World of たられば

Have you ever caught a native speaker sigh and mutter たられば—tarareba? It’s a powerful and very “native” way to describe a particular mindset or way of thinking. Let’s explore what it really means—and how you can start using it like a native.

What Does “たられば” Mean?

たられば is a colloquial expression combining two common conditional forms in Japanese:

Together, “たられば” refers to hypothetical thinking—those “what if…” or “if only…” thoughts that play out in your head when you’re imagining alternate realities.

It describes the habit of thinking about situations that didn’t happen, but imagining what could have been if they had.

In English, this is similar to saying:

“If I had done X, then maybe Y would’ve happened…”

“What if I had studied harder?”

“If only I had taken that job…”

たられば in Conversation

This expression is used as a noun to describe that kind of mental behaviour or mindset. You might hear:

たらればを言っても仕方がない。
There’s no point in talking about “what ifs.”

タラレバばかり考えてる。(Sometimes it’s written in katakana as well)
I keep thinking only in “what ifs.”

Sometimes, you’ll hear it used to describe a person who can’t stop imagining alternate outcomes:

彼はタラレバ人間だ。
He’s always stuck in the “what ifs”—such a “what-if person.”

It often carries a slightly critical tone, suggesting that someone is dwelling too much on the past or on hypothetical scenarios rather than taking action.

Let’s Break It Down: The Grammar Behind It

Even though たられば itself is an idiomatic expression, it’s built from two real and very useful grammatical structures:

〜たら

The た-form + ら expresses a hypothetical outcome that would result from a specific situation.

余るほどお金があったら、何が買いたい？
If you had more money than you knew what to do with, what would you buy?

〜れば

The conditional form of a verb is used to describe what would happen if certain general conditions were met.

もっと時間があれば、いろいろなところに旅行に行けるんだけどね。
If only I had more time, I’d be able to travel to many places.

Cultural Insight: The Danger of “たられば” Thinking

In Japanese culture, there’s a strong emphasis on 現実 (genjitsu–reality) and 行動 (koudou–action). People who dwell too long on たられば might be seen as unproductive or overly nostalgic.

That’s why you’ll often hear:

たらればを言っても始まらない。
There’s no use in saying “what ifs”—nothing will start.

But at the same time, everyone indulges in たられば from time to time. It’s human. The key is knowing when it’s just daydreaming—and when it’s holding you back.

Practice Prompt

Try using たら or れば in your own “what if” statements. You can start with something like:

学生のとき、もっと勉強していたら…

日本に興味を持っていなかったら…

もし彼と別れていなければ…

Then reflect:

Do you find yourself stuck in たられば? Or can you use those thoughts to move forward?

Final Thoughts

たられば isn’t just a fun phrase—it’s a window into the way people think and speak in real life. The more you recognise these native turns of phrase, the closer you get to thinking in Japanese, not just translating!