文法: Grammar a Day - Level 2 [ 〜さえ〜ば (sae-ba) ]

〜さえ〜ば (sae-ba) - If ~ just If ~ only

--- Notes ---
さえ is often used in a pattern like:

noun-sae　verb-ba = result
noun-only verb-if = result

ひまさえ　あれば　幸せです
free time only if I had = I would be happy
if only i had some free time, i would be happy

薬さえ　飲めば、直ります
medicine only if you drink = get better
if you just take your medicine, you will get better

ば - most commonly used
たら - can be used, but is less common
なら - only in limited contexts
*と　- unacceptable

ex：君さえ承知してくれたら・(してくれる）なら、今すぐこのプロジェクトを始めるつもりだ。
As long as you agree (to our plan), we are planning to begin this project
right away

--- Examples ---
地図さえあれば、何の迷いもなく目的地に到着します。.

If only we had a map we'd get to our destination without going astray.

お金さえあれば、この車を買います。
If only I had the money, I would have bought this car.

資料を調べ
さえすれば、すぐ分かることです。
If you would only check the documents, you'd understand immediately.

住所さえ分かれば、地図で探して行きます。
If only I knew the address, I will search in the map and go there.

--- Comments ---
In the example, 何の迷いもなく到着します does not make sense.
It should be 迷わないで到着できたのに(we would have gotten to
our destination without going astray). 迷いもなく is okay, but
normally it is used to describe abstruct mental confusion rather than
physical or concrete one. (contributor: bamboo4)

sentence pattern 'sae..ba'= coditional sentence type III??? (contributor:
ngocduong)

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