Breakdown of kyuukou ga tomaranakereba, tugi no eki made iku.
行くiku
to go
がga
subject particle
のno
possessive case particle
駅eki
station
までmade
limit particle
止まるtomaru
to stop
〜なければ〜nakereba
conditional form
次tugi
next
急行kyuukou
express
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Questions & Answers about kyuukou ga tomaranakereba, tugi no eki made iku.
What does the particle が after 急行 signify?
In this sentence, が marks 急行 (express train) as the subject of the verb 止まらなければ. Using が simply points out what “doesn’t stop.” If you used は instead (急行は止まらなければ…), you’d be setting “express train” as a topic, often implying contrast (e.g. “as for the express train…”).
What kind of condition is 止まらなければ, and how is it formed?
止まらなければ is the negative conditional (the -ba form) of 止まる (to stop). Formation steps:
- Take the negative form: 止まらない
- Drop い → 止まらな
- Add ければ → 止まらなければ
It means “if (it) does not stop.”
How does this -ば conditional differ from the -たら or -と conditionals?
– ～ば (なければ): logical or formal conditional, often in writing or when stating facts.
– ～たら: more colloquial, can express hypothetical or past-based conditions.
– ～と: indicates a natural or guaranteed result; can’t express volition or commands.
Here 止まらなければ states a logical condition: “If the express doesn’t stop…”
Why is there a comma after 止まらなければ?
The comma (、) separates the conditional clause (止まらなければ) from the main clause (次の駅まで行く), clarifying “If X…, then Y.” Japanese often uses commas to mark clause boundaries.
What function does まで serve in 次の駅まで?
The particle まで means “until” or “up to.” So 次の駅まで行く literally means “go up to the next station.” It shows the endpoint of the movement.
Why is 次 connected to 駅 with の (as 次の駅)?
の links nouns to show possession or qualification. Here 次の qualifies 駅, giving “the next station.”
Who is actually doing the 行く in this sentence? The train or the speaker?
The omitted subject refers back to 急行 (the express train). In Japanese, if the subject is clear, it’s dropped. So 行く describes what the train will do: “If the express doesn’t stop, it (the express) goes to the next station.”
Could we make this polite by using 行きます instead of 行く?
Yes. In polite speech, you’d say:
急行が止まらなければ、次の駅まで行きます。
Switching to ～ます form makes the sentence more formal or polite.