conditional N1 uncommon casualwritten
〜たら最後 — once you ~, there's no going back
〜たら最後 ・ たらさいご
Builds on た形
Meaning
- once you ~, that's it — an unavoidable, usually unwelcome consequence inevitably follows
Key sentence
あの人に話したら最後、すぐに噂が広まる。
Once you tell her, the rumour spreads in no time.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb たら-form + 最後 | V-たら + 最後 | 始めたら最後 / 見つかったら最後 |
Variants
〜たが最後 — More literary/emphatic variant with the same meaning.
Examples
一度サボり始めたら最後、なかなか元に戻れない。
Once you start slacking off, it's hard to get back on track.
この沼にはまったら最後、抜け出せなくなる。
Once you get sucked into this hobby, you can't get out.
彼に貸したら最後、二度と返ってこないよ。
Once you lend it to him, you'll never get it back.
When you can't use it
- The main clause states an inevitable, normally undesirable result that is beyond one's control — not just any consequence. It expresses 'there's no undoing it.'
Easily confused with
See 〜たら最後 in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜たら最後 the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.