388 - となると

JLPT N2: となると

Conversing in Japanese can be fun... until you run into a word or grammar point you don’t know.

Then it can be frustrating.

When it comes to speaking and dialogue, there are a few grammar points that can make it much easier for you to understand. となると is one of them.

The grammar point となると means “if X happens, then~.”

Essentially it is saying that if one thing happens, another thing will occur.

From previous studies, you know that と can mean “if” in certain contexts. When you take this grammar point apart, it becomes very simple:

と plus なる, which means “to become,” plus と, meaning “if.”

So essentially, it is saying “if something becomes X then….”

Here is the construction:

Noun + となると
大雪となると
おおゆき となると
If there is heavy snow, then...
Literally: "heavy snow + となると"

VERB + となると
入院するとなると
にゅういん する となると
If I am hospitalized, then...
Literally: "enter into a hospital // hospitalization + do + となると"

Here are some example sentence so you can see it in context...


Child:
お母さん、あしたは大雪らしいよ。
おかあさん、 あした は おおゆき らしい よ。
Mom, I heard it will snow a lot tomorrow.
Literally: “mom + tomorrow + は + big snow + apparently [hearsay marker] + よ”

Mother:
大雪となると、学校は休校になるかもしれないね。
おおゆき となると、 がっこう は きゅうこう に なる かもしれない ね。
If it snows a lot, school might be canceled.
Literally: “big snow + となると + school + は + closing school + に + become + might + ね”


Doctor:
この手術を受けたあとは、最低でも2週間入院する必要があります。
この しゅじゅつ を うけた あと は、 さいてい でも にしゅうかん にゅういん する ひつよう が あります。
After this surgery, you will have to be hospitalized for 2 weeks at least.
Literally: “this + surgery + を + have + after + は + the least + でも + 2 weeks + hospitalization + do + need + が + have”

Patient:
2週間も入院するとなると、子どもたちを実家に預けないと。
にしゅうかん も にゅういん する となると、 こどもたち を じっか に あずけないと。
If I'm going to be hospitalized for 2 weeks, I'll need to leave my children at my parents' house.
Literally: “2 weeks + も + hospitalization + do + となると+ children + を + parents' home + に + don't entrust / leave + と”
Note: ~ないと is a shortened colloquial version of ~ないといけない and expresses obligation.

In the above two sentences, となると is used for hypothetical situations. They are saying that if a situation were to happen, then something else would occur. This doesn’t always have to be the case. In the following two sentences, となると explains situations that have already happened.


A:
台風の影響で関東の一部で停電が起こっているそうです。
たいふう の えいきょう で かんとう の いちぶ で ていでん が おこっている そう です。
Apparently the typhoon has caused power outages in some areas of Kanto.
Literally: “typhoon + の + effect + で + Kanto + の + a part + で + power outage + が + occurring + apparently [hearsay marker] + です”

B:
停電となると、オール電化の家は大変でしょうね。
ていでん となると、 オールでんか の いえ は たいへん でしょう ね。
If there are power outages, homes running everything on electric must be having a really hard time.
Literally: “power outages + となると + all electric + の + homes + は + terrible + でしょう + ね”


Wife:
風呂場も台所も、今朝からお湯が出ないのよ。
ふろば も だいどころ も、 けさ から おゆ が でない の よ。
From this morning, there is no hot water coming out in the bathroom or the kitchen.
Literally: “bathroom + も + kitchen + も + this morning + from + hot water + が + doesn’t come out + の + よ”
Note: Ending a sentence with のよ is feminine language.

Husband:
お湯が出ないとなると、今夜は銭湯に行くしかないな。
おゆ が でない となると、 こんや は せんとう に いく しか ない な。
If no hot water comes out, we'll have to go to a public bath this evening.
Literally: “hot water + が + doesn’t come out + となると + tonight + は + public bath + に + go + only + ない + な”
Note: Although they're not quite as popular as they once were, public baths are still a common feature of Japan.


Practicing this grammar point can be fun because it's your chance to write a few short dialogues.

Use となると and make your sentences interesting. Think about what two people would talk about when using this grammar point.

I wonder what he would say if he could talk?


This lesson was written by Cassy L., a guest contributor:


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