〜が〜なら〜も〜だ (~ga ~nara ~mo ~da) — A is bad, and B is just as bad
Blaming both sides in one breath — 'like parent, like child', as criticism.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- On the train a child is jumping on the seat in his shoes; the mother is busy on her phone and says nothing.
- The old man next to them mutters: 「子が子なら親も親だ。」— the kid's bad, and the parent is no better!
- The sentence usually stops right there — a spoken grumble more than something said to someone's face.
Meaning
Like the Nepali 'जस्तो बाउ, उस्तै छोरो', but this is always criticism — both sides are bad.
How to attach
- The shape: AがAなら、BもBだ — each noun is repeated, and A and B are a pair (child–parent, boss–staff, husband–wife)
- First noun + 「が」, the same noun again + 「なら」; second noun + 「も」, the same noun again + 「だ」
- The first half can also take 「も」instead of 「が」(親も親なら).
Versus what you know
- N5「〜も〜も」(親も子も) is neutral; this one is full of exasperation.
- The earlier 「といい〜といい」works for praise and blame alike, but this form is for bad things only.
Watch out
'The teacher is so good, and the students are just as good' cannot use it.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
電車で騒ぐ子を注意もしないなんて、子が子なら親も親だ。
でんしゃでさわぐこをちゅういもしないなんて、こがこならおやもおやだ。
Not even telling off a child who's making noise on the train? The kid's bad, and the parent's no better.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 子 = child → 「が」 + 子 again + 「なら」: 子が子なら → 親 = parent → 「も」 + 親 again + 「だ」: 親も親だ = both are equally bad.
選挙に行かない人がこんなに多いとは。政治家が政治家なら、国民も国民だ。
せんきょにいかないひとがこんなにおおいとは。せいじかがせいじかなら、こくみんもこくみんだ。
So many people don't even vote! The politicians are bad, and the voters are no better.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 政治家 = politicians, 国民 = citizens (a pair) → 政治家が政治家なら = the politicians are like that → 国民も国民だ = the citizens are just the same → annoyance at both.
あんな嘘を言う方が言う方なら、信じる方も信じる方だ。
あんなうそをいうほうがいうほうなら、しんじるほうもしんじるほうだ。
Whoever tells a lie like that is bad, and whoever believes it is no better.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 言う方 = the one who says it, 信じる方 = the one who believes it → 「が」 + 言う方 again + 「なら」: 言う方が言う方なら → 信じる方も信じる方だ → both are to blame.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「店長が店長＿、店員も店員だ。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: 'If that one is like that, this one is the same.'
N₁がN₁なら、N₂もN₂だ: 店長が店長なら店員も店員だ = the manager's bad, and the staff are no better.
In which sentence is 「〜が〜なら〜も〜だ」unnatural?
💡 Hint: Criticism or praise?
This form only criticises both sides. For praise like 'all hard-working and excellent', say 「先生も生徒も」.
A child dropping litter in the street, and a father laughing at it. Which blames both with exasperation?
💡 Hint: The form where each noun repeats.
子が子なら親も親だ = like child, like parent (criticism). 「も〜も」is neutral, なり is advice, and the といい option is praise here.
Your score: /3