connective N4 essential casualpolitewritten
〜場合 — in the case of ~ / if ~
〜場合 ・ ばあい
Meaning
- in the case of ~ / in the event that ~ — sets up a hypothetical or contingent situation and what to do in it
Key sentence
地震の場合は、エレベーターを使わないでください。
In the event of an earthquake, please don't use the elevator.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb / i-adjective (plain form) | [plain form] + 場合（は） | 遅れる → 遅れる場合 |
| Noun | Noun + の + 場合 | 雨 → 雨の場合 |
| na-adjective | na-adj + な + 場合 | 必要 → 必要な場合 |
When: Common in rules, manuals, and formal notices, where it lays out 'what to do if such-and-such happens'.
Examples
都合が悪い場合は、早めにご連絡ください。
If it's inconvenient, please contact us early.
間に合わない場合はタクシーで行こう。
If we won't make it in time, let's take a taxi.
故障の場合はこの番号にかけてください。
In case of a malfunction, please call this number.
Easily confused with
〜とき とき is a neutral 'when ~' for things that do happen. 場合 frames a conditional 'if/in the case that ~', stressing it as one possibility to plan for. 〜なら なら responds to a supposition someone raised ('if that's the case, ...'). 場合 objectively lays out a contingency, typical of written rules and procedures.
See 〜場合 in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜場合 the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in Jengo