Lesson 10
Concession: "but", "even so", "contrary to expectation"
- 1 〜ところを ~tokoro o even though you are ~ (polite thanks / apology) You troubled someone while they were busy or resting — so you thank them or apologise. A polite, formal phrase.
- 2 〜ものを ~mono o if only ~ (but it didn't happen) It could have gone well, but it didn't — regret and complaint. The feeling of 'why on earth didn't you…!'
- 3 〜とはいえ ~to wa ie even though ~ / that said I accept a fact — but what you'd expect from it isn't quite right. The speaker's own view; a little stiff and written.
- 4 〜といえども ~to iedomo even (a ~) / even though However high the position or special the case, the rule still applies — very stiff language of speeches, laws and news.
- 5 〜と思いきや ~to omoikiya I thought ~, but actually I was sure it would turn out one way — and it went the other! A feeling of surprise.
Lesson check
All 5 forms of this lesson together — pick the right one from its look-alikes, the way the exam does. 6/8 completes the lesson.
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「お休み＿＿＿、お電話してしまい申し訳ありません。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:The other person's situation + an apology.
お休みのところを = while you were resting (I troubled you). The polite phrase followed by an apology is ところを.
「一言相談してくれれば、力になった＿＿＿。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:〜ば … but it didn't happen — regret.
〜ば〜ものを = if only…, ~ would have happened. 力になったものを = I could have helped, but you didn't ask.
「人気の店だから込んでいる＿＿＿、意外にすいていた。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:The expectation and the reality are opposite.
込んでいると思いきや = I thought it'd be crowded (but it was empty). とはいえ admits a real fact — 'it is crowded, yet it was empty' contradicts itself.
「たとえ国の大臣＿＿＿、法律を破ることは許されない。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:The stiff form that pairs with 「たとえ」.
たとえ〜といえども = even if one is ~. A firm rule follows: 許されない.
「来日して十年になる＿＿＿、役所の書類はまだ一人では書けない。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:A real fact is admitted, and yet…
十年になるとはいえ = it has been ten years, but even so. ものを (what didn't happen), と思いきや (a wrong expectation) and ところを (polite apology) do not fit.
Which sentence is natural for opening an event?
💡 Hint:Respect for the listener's situation + thanks.
お忙しいところを〜ありがとうございます is the set polite phrase. と思いきや would mean 'I thought you'd be busy, yet you came' — rude.
Which sentence is unnatural?
💡 Hint:Which form is only for something that did NOT happen?
ものを is regret over a good thing that did not happen. It does not fit a real win that everyone celebrated. The other three are fine.
'I thought the exam would be easy, but it was very hard' — which sentence?
💡 Hint:The expectation turned out wrong — surprise.
簡単だと思いきや = I thought it'd be easy, but. ものを is regret, ところを is polite thanks/apology, といえども is 'even if' — none fit here.
Your score: /8