とあれば
“If it is (for) X, then…”: presents a special circumstance or reason that justifies doing something one would not normally do, usually followed by a statement of willingness or determination.
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A stiff, literary expression found in writing, speeches and formal conversation. The first clause names a strong reason, such as someone's order or a loved one's benefit, and the second clause expresses readiness to do even something hard or unpleasant, often with どんな～でも or ～も厭わない. It carries more emotional weight than a plain conditional like なら.
Learners should not use it for neutral hypotheticals like weather forecasts; the main clause normally expresses willingness or resolve.
Note that the condition is usually a compelling reason, not a trivial circumstance, so it sounds odd with everyday minor situations.
- とあってN1「とあって」 expresses an established cause ('because...'), with the following clause objectively describing a scene that has already occurred or been observed; it cannot take volition or requests. 「とあれば」 is a hypothetical condition, and its main clause is usually a resolution. The two attach to words in the same way and are both rather formal, but they are not interchangeable.
- ともなると / ともなればN1「ともなると」/「ともなれば」 attach to words like status, period, or age, indicating that once that point is reached, corresponding situations naturally follow; the main clause is mostly an objective judgment with a neutral tone. With 「とあれば」, the main clause expresses volition or determination to make sacrifices. They cannot be interchanged.
- としたら / とすればN3「としたら」/「とすれば」 are neutral, general hypotheses, with the main clause usually expressing conjecture, a question, a judgment, or a conclusion; 「とあれば」 emphasizes that the condition is special, and the main clause expresses determination to make sacrifices. After a noun, the former requires 「だ」, while the latter usually does not.
- ならN4「なら」 is neutral in tone, used for general hypotheses or for giving suggestions based on the other person's topic; 「とあれば」 is more formal, emphasizing that the condition is special and important, and the following sentence is usually a determination to make sacrifices. Replacing it with 「なら」 loses this emphasis.
- 次第だ / 次第でN2「次第だ」/「次第で」 indicate that the outcome depends on the preceding item and is still uncertain; they attach to nouns or interrogative clauses and are neutral in tone. 「とあれば」 emphasizes that the condition is special, and the following sentence expresses a determination to make sacrifices, with a formal tone. The two cannot be interchanged.
Unlike とあって (a factual reason for an actual situation), ともなると/ともなれば (natural changes on reaching a certain status or stage), and 次第で (outcomes varying with X), とあれば sets a hypothetical justifying condition for doing something extraordinary. It is also more emphatic and formal than the neutral conditionals としたら/とすれば and なら.
