ては / では

About

A て form verb/い-adjective + は, or a noun/な-adjective + では, can be used to express a conditional "if".

～ては・では should be followed by a statement or remark that has a negative sentiment.

E.g. 無理むりに動うごかしては壊こわれてしまいますよ。 "If you force it to move, it will break."

E.g. こんなに小ちいさくては、全部ぜんぶは入はいりません。 "If it's this small, not everything will fit."

E.g. 幼稚園ようちえんを探さがすのがこんなに大変たいへんじゃ、少子化しょうしかは解決かいけつされないと思おもう。 "If finding a preschool is this hard, I don't think the shrinking population issue will be solved."

E.g. こんなに働はたらいて時給じきゅうが1000円えんでは、みんな不満ふまんだろう。 "If everyone's working this hard and only making 1000 yen per hour, they're going to be displeased."

～ては can be contracted to ちゃ or ～では to じゃ in casual speech.

This usage of ～ては・では is most common in spoken polite/casual scenarios.

Summary

• 

  ～ては・では can be used to form a conditional "if" statement

• 

  Conditional ～ては・では should be followed by a negative statement