～ば
RuleVerb/adjective ba-form: the general/hypothetical "if," common for natural cause and effect.
Curiosity
For a general "if/whenever," as in "press this button and it works," what do you use besides tara?
Intuition
ba is like a logical "if A then B," linking condition and result directly. It suits general truths, natural consequences, and hypotheses; a past tense or command rarely follows.
Visualization
iku (dictionary) → ikeba (ba-form). Shift the u-row to the e-row and add ba.
行くdictionary form
Essence
Ichidan: ~ru → ~reba (taberu → tabereba). Godan: shift the u-row to the e-row + ba (iku → ikeba, nomu → nomeba). i-adjectives: ~i → ~kereba (takai → takakereba). The negative ~nakereba also comes from here (the nakereba-naranai you learned).
Examples
このボタンを押せば、動きます。
If you press this button, it works.
安ければ、買います。
If it is cheap, I will buy it.
練習すれば、上手になる。
If you practice, you will improve.
Mini-quiz
What is the ba-form of "nomu" (to drink)?