How to Say ‘If it doesn't get better’ in Japanese
治らなければ
naora nakere ba
[nah-oh-RAH nah-keh-REH bah]
💬 Usage Tip: なければ turns a verb into "if it doesn't...": 治る (naoru) "to get better" becomes 治らなければ (naoranakereba). The same ending works elsewhere, like 行かなければ (ikanakereba) "if I don't go".
Phrase Breakdown
治ら
naora
[nah-oh-RAH]
heal; get better (stem)
Stem of the verb 治る (to recover, to heal), used before negative endings.
風邪がなかなか治らない。
My cold just won't get better.
なけれ
nakere
[nah-keh-REH]
not (conditional stem)
Form of the negative ending ない used before ば to make 'if not'.
薬を飲まなければ、治りません。
If you don't take the medicine, it won't heal.
ば
ba
[bah]
if (conditional)
Conditional ending meaning 'if', attached to the verb's conditional stem.
痛ければ、言ってください。
If it hurts, please tell me.
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