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LingakuLingakuと来たら (sometimes written as ときたら) is used to single out a topic – typically a person or thing close to the speaker – and express frustration, exasperation, complaint, or criticism about it. It translates roughly to "when it comes to…" or "as for… (that hopeless)…" and carries a strongly negative or reproachful tone.
The speaker uses と来たら to highlight the topic before going on to describe what is wrong or disappointing about it.
Negative emotion required: The clause following と来たら almost always expresses dissatisfaction, irritation, or disappointment. It is not used for neutral or positive observations.
Familiar or close topics: と来たら is most naturally used when talking about people or things the speaker knows well – family members, coworkers, one's own belongings, etc.
Difference from は: While は can neutrally mark a topic, と来たら specifically draws attention to the topic in order to complain about it. It is more emphatic and emotionally loaded.
Difference from ったら:ったら can also express mild frustration or exasperation (e.g., もう、お母さんったら！), but と来たら tends to be stronger and is typically followed by a full explanatory clause rather than being used as a standalone exclamation.
と来たら is characteristic of spoken or informal written Japanese. It appears frequently in everyday complaints and anecdotes. The topic noun before と来たら does not take other particles – you attach と来たら directly to the noun.