Lesson 18
Emphasis: not even / only at / precisely
- 1 〜たりとも〜ない ~tari tomo ~nai not even (one) ~ Takes the smallest unit — one day, one yen, one second — and says 'not even that', denying it completely. A stiff form.
- 2 〜すら ~sura even ~ The stiff, written twin of 「さえ」— 'even something this basic', so the rest goes without saying.
- 3 〜だに ~dani just ~ing (is enough) / not even ~ Just thinking or remembering is enough to make you shudder — a very stiff form that goes with only a few set words.
- 4 〜にして ~ni shite only at ~ / even ~ Points to a high stage — an age, a count of years, an exceptional person — to say 'only on reaching it' or 'even someone like that'. A stiff form.
- 5 〜あっての ~atte no ~ makes (N) possible 'Without this, that wouldn't exist' — shows how essential something is, often with gratitude.
- 6 〜こそあれ ~koso are there is ~, but Admits 'yes, there is ~' — a small weak point — then states the main point. Stiff and written.
- 7 〜こそすれ ~koso sure ~ if anything, but never the opposite 'If anything, it's this — never the opposite': firmly shuts out the opposite possibility. A stiff form.
- 8 〜こそ〜が ~koso ~ga ~ may be (so), but Admits one side — 'that's the only weak point' — and says the rest is good. Works in speech too.
- 9 〜なりとも ~nari tomo at least / even a little 'Not much — even just a little' — for humble wishes and requests. A stiff form.
Lesson check
All 9 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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「会社のお金は、一円＿＿＿無駄にしてはいけない。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:'Not even one yen' + a prohibition.
一 + counter + たりとも + prohibition = not even one yen. なりとも only goes with wishes/requests; あっての needs a noun after it; こそあれ means 'there is ~, but'.
「この経験が、多少＿＿＿後輩の役に立てばうれしい。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:'Even a little' + a wish.
多少なりとも〜ばうれしい = glad if it helps even a little. たりとも goes with negatives; こそすれ follows a verb stem/する-noun; だに follows mental verbs.
「あの事故は、思い出す＿＿手が震える。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Mental verb (dictionary form) + a bad feeling.
思い出すだに = just remembering. すら needs 「こと」with a verb (思い出すことすら); にして and こそ don't attach to the verb here.
「祖父は八十歳＿＿＿初めてスマホを持った。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:A high age + 「初めて」.
N + にして + 初めて = only at that age, for the first time. すら ('even') doesn't fit with 初めて; たりとも needs '一 + counter' and a negative; あっての needs a noun after it.
「お客様＿＿＿商売だから、言葉づかいに気をつけよう。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Links two nouns — 'business exists thanks to customers'.
N₁ + あっての + N₂ = N₂ exists only thanks to N₁. The other three can't take a noun straight after them.
「給料は上がり＿＿＿、下がることはないと聞いている。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Verb stem (上がり) + a denial of the opposite after it.
V-stem + こそすれ、…ない = it only goes up, never down. こそあれ only follows nouns; こそ and すら don't attach to a verb stem like this.
「多少の不便＿＿＿、田舎の暮らしはとても気に入っている。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Noun + 'there is ~, but'.
N + こそあれ = there is some inconvenience, but. こそすれ needs a denial of the opposite and 「不便」doesn't take 「する」; たりとも goes with negatives; にして with a high stage.
「このパソコンは、デザイン＿＿＿古いが、まだ十分使える。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:'One side is old, but' — pairs with 〜が.
N + こそ + adjective + が = ~ may be so, but. あっての needs a noun after it, だに follows mental verbs, たりとも goes with negatives.
Your score: /8