〜ようものなら

About

～ものなら has two main usage patterns:

• 

  用法ようほう① (Dictionary form/potential form verb)ものなら "If one could X"

• 

  用法ようほう② (Volitional form verb)ものなら "If one were to X"

This entry concerns usage ②.

For usage ②, ～ようものなら combines volitional form verbs with ものなら, and is used to indicate that "if X were to happen, (Y negative outcome)".

E.g. この話はなしをマイクに聞きかれようものなら、どれだけ怒おこられるかわかりません。 "If Mike were to hear this, I don't even know how mad he'd be."

E.g. 親おやに口答くちごたえしようもんなら、ビンタをされているよ。 "If (I) spoke back to my parents, (I would have) been slapped."

E.g. 今いま外そとに出でようものなら、すぐに熱中症ねっちゅうしょうになるよ。 "If you were to go outside now, you'd get heatstroke right away."

Rather than specifically referring to the speaker's own actions, ～ようものなら is used for more general, "if X was to happen; if (someone) was to do Y" statements.

もの can be contracted to もん in casual scenarios.

Summary

• 

  ～ものなら has two main usage patterns: 用法ようほう① (Dictionary form/potential form verb)ものなら "If one could X"; 用法ようほう② (Volitional form verb)ものなら "If one were to X"

• 

  For usage ②, ～ようものなら combines volitional form verbs with ものなら, and is used to indicate that "if X were to happen, (Y negative outcome)"

• 

  もの can be contracted to もん in casual scenarios