すると
Meaning in Englishthen, when that happens
Related sentences
Word context
What it means
What does すると mean? It marks the conditional sense of 'when X happens, then Y follows' by linking two clauses in a sentence, guiding the listener to expect a consequence or result in the second clause.
Main meanings
- Conveys a cause-and-effect relation where the second clause states a consequence of the first.
- Imparts immediacy or natural sequence in narration, description, or explanation.
- Common in written and semi-formal Japanese; in casual speech, speakers may prefer 〜と or 〜たら for similar meaning.
How to use it
Used to connect a preceding action described in dictionary form with a consequent clause, often in narration, explanations, or reasoning. The first clause sets a condition or trigger, and the second clause presents a result or reaction; it tends to be more formal or written than casual speech, and the choice between すると, とすると, or たら conveys nuance about assumption, immediacy, and hypothetical premise.
Variants and close terms
- とすると — a hypothetical premise: if we assume this, then ... (romaji: to suru to)
- と — generic conditional: when/if; romaji: to
- たら — a looser or more common conditional: if/when; romaji: tara
Etymology
From the verb suru (to do) plus the conditional particle to producing the phonetic form すると, a standard pattern for linking actions to outcomes.
Word class
Conjunction (接続助詞)