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How to say 'If' in Japanese | 若し

Wondering how to say 'If' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for If is 'Moshi', written as 若し in Japanese.'If' in hiragana is もし.

    word

    若し

    Meaning

    If

    Reading

    もし

    moshi

    Kanji

    若Young

    Explanation

    The Japanese adverb '若し (もし)' means 'if' and is used to introduce a hypothetical or conditional situation. It is often paired with conditional forms of verbs or expressions to indicate a possibility or assumption. For example: If it rains tomorrow, I will stay home「もし明日雨が降ったら、家にいます」(もしあしたあめがふったら、いえにいます). If you need help, please tell me「もし助けが必要なら、教えてください」(もしたすけがひつようなら、おしえてください). This word is commonly used in polite or formal contexts and is essential for constructing conditional sentences in Japanese.

    Part Of Speech

    adverb

    Kanji JLPT

    N3

    Kanji Grade

    6

    Frequency

    323

    Composition

    kanji-hiragana

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 若し

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    若

    Meaning

    Young

Hiragana in the Word 若し

This word contains 1 Hiragana character :

  • hiragana

    し

    Reading

    Shi

Words Related to 若し Through the Kanji 若

These 5 Words contain the Kanji 若 as well.

  • word

    若い

    Meaning

    Young

  • word

    若者

    Meaning

    Youth

  • word

    若しくは

    Meaning

    Or

  • word

    若干

    Meaning

    Few, Some

  • word

    若々しい

    Meaning

    Youthful

Learn the Word 若し

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What does 'Moshi' (若し) mean?

'Moshi' means 'If' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.