Learn Hardcore Japanese: 〜nakereba - negative conditional form

Usages of 〜nakereba

私わたし　は　無理むりな　約束やくそく　は　しない。　時間じかん　が　なければ　行いける　はず　が　ない　から　だ。watashi wa murina yakusoku wa shinai. jikan ga nakereba ikeru hazu ga nai kara da.

I don’t make impossible promises, because if I don’t have time, there’s no way I can go.

宿題しゅくだい　を　出ださなければ、　先生せんせい　に　注意ちゅういされます。shukudai o dasanakereba, sensei ni chuuisaremasu.

If you don’t turn in your homework, you will be warned by the teacher.

私わたし　は　新品しんぴん　より　中古ちゅうこ　を　買かって、　気き　に　入いらなければ　交換こうかんします。watashi wa shinpin yori chuuko o katte, ki ni iranakereba koukanshimasu.

I buy used rather than new, and if I don’t like it I exchange it.

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“How do verb conjugations work in Japanese?”

Japanese verbs conjugate based on tense, politeness, and mood. For example, the polite present form adds ‑ます to the verb stem, while the past tense uses ‑ました. Unlike English, Japanese verbs don't change based on the subject — the same form works for "I", "you", and "they".

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