“〜koso are / 〜koso sure”: There Is Only 〜, Never 〜 (Emphatic Adversative) [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「感謝こそすれ、批判はしない」 — affirm the one thing emphatically, to rule the other out flatly.

「感謝こそあれ、恨みはない」 — only A, certainly not the opposite B

To weightily stress “only ～, certainly not the opposite ～,” 「君には感謝こそあれ、恨みなど微塵もない」 (toward you there is only gratitude, not a shred of resentment) — 「〜こそあれ・〜こそすれ」 = only ～ certainly not ～／only ～ never ～, a written adversative using 「こそ」 to stress affirming A while denying the opposite B. This guide covers attachment (nouns use こそあれ, verbs use こそすれ), the written feel, and separating it from the plain 「こそ.」

Core: use 「こそ」 to stress A, and deny the opposite B

This set is a written, emphatic adversative, using 「こそ」 to foreground A and deny the opposite B:

① 〜こそあれ = only ～ (at most), certainly not ～ (precedes a noun):

• 彼の行動には、同情の余地こそあれ、正当化はできない (his conduct has room for sympathy at most, but can't be justified).
• 程度の差こそあれ、誰にでも悩みはある (there may be a difference of degree, but everyone has worries).

② 〜こそすれ = only ～, never ～ (precedes a verb ます-stem):

• 困難は増えこそすれ、減ることはないだろう (difficulties will only increase, never decrease).
• 事態は悪化しこそすれ、好転する気配はない (the situation will only worsen, with no sign of improving).

Feel: the structure is “A こそあれ／こそすれ、(the opposite B) ない” — using 「こそ」 to stress “it is A (and only A),” followed by denying the opposite situation. 「あれ」 is a literary inflection of 「ある,」 「すれ」 of 「する,」 with a heavy literary, written, weighty color. It corresponds to “only ～ (certainly not the opposite), only ～ (never ～).”

Attachment rules

See it in context

• 彼の努力は、称賛に値しこそすれ、非難される筋合いはない。(His effort deserves praise at most, and has no cause to be blamed.)
• 表現の違いこそあれ、言いたいことは同じだ。(There may be a difference in wording, but the point is the same.)
• この技術は、発展こそすれ、廃れることはない。(This technology will only develop, never die out.)
• 多少の不満こそあれ、全体としては満足している。(There may be some dissatisfaction, but on the whole I'm satisfied.)
• 年月がたてば、思い出は美化されこそすれ、色あせはしない。(With years, memories only get idealized, never fade.)

⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid

① The core is the adversative ‘use こそ to stress A, and deny the opposite B.' 「〜こそあれ・〜こそすれ」's core is “use 「こそ」 to stress ‘it is A (and only A),' followed by denying the opposite B” — forming the emphatic adversative “only A, certainly not (the opposite) B／only A, never B.” Its structure is “A こそあれ／こそすれ、(the opposite B) ない”: 感謝こそあれ、恨みはない (only gratitude, certainly no resentment — stressing “gratitude,” denying the opposite “resentment”), 増えこそすれ、減らない (only increase, never decrease — stressing “increase,” denying the opposite “decrease”). The first-half A and second-half B are an “opposite, contrasting” pair (感謝↔恨み, 増える↔減る, 発展↔廃れる). It corresponds to “only ～ certainly not ～, only ～ never ～.” Test: to weightily stress “only／only ～ A, certainly not／never (the opposite) B” → こそあれ／こそすれ.

② Attachment: noun ＋ こそあれ, verb ます-stem ＋ こそすれ. Get the attachment right. Nouns use 「こそあれ」 (= こそ ＋ the 「ある」 series): 感謝こそあれ, 違いこそあれ, 余地こそあれ. Verbs (ます-stem) use 「こそすれ」 (= こそ ＋ the 「する」 series), attaching to the verb's ます-stem: 増えこそすれ, 悪化しこそすれ, 発展こそすれ. (「あれ」 is the hypothetical of 「ある,」 「すれ」 of 「する,」 literary residue.) Mnemonic: noun ＋ こそあれ／verb ます-stem ＋ こそすれ ＋ (the opposite negative).

③ Written, literary, weighty (rare in speech); division of labor with the plain 「こそ.」 「こそあれ／こそすれ」 carries a heavy literary, written, weighty color, mostly for argument, speeches, formal writing, hardly used in everyday speech. It differs from the plain 「こそ」: 「こそあれ／こそすれ」 = use こそ to stress A, and deny the opposite B (an adversative pattern): 感謝こそあれ、恨みはない. 「こそ」 (alone) = (plainly) stress ‘it is precisely ～, only ～' (see 〈こそ〉): 今こそチャンスだ (now is precisely the chance), 君こそ適任だ (you are precisely the right person) — it just stresses a word as “precisely,” without the “deny the opposite” adversative. Difference: 「こそあれ／こそすれ」 is a “stress A ＋ deny the opposite B” adversative pattern; the plain 「こそ」 is just the “precisely ～” emphasis (see 〈こそ〉). Test: to “stress A, and deny the opposite B (only A, certainly not B)” → こそあれ／こそすれ; to just stress “precisely ～” → こそ (see 〈こそ〉).

🔄 Compare: こそあれ／こそすれ／こそ／とはいえ

💡 The key point in use

「〜こそあれ・〜こそすれ」 = only ～ certainly not ～／only ～ never ～ — three points: ① the core is the adversative “use こそ to stress A, and deny the opposite B” — A and B are an opposite pair (感謝↔恨み, 増える↔減る); ② attachment: noun ＋ こそあれ, verb ます-stem ＋ こそすれ; ③ written, literary, weighty (rare in speech); division of labor with the plain 「こそ (precisely ～, see 〈こそ〉).」 This pattern has real “weighty, categorical” weight — 「感謝こそあれ、恨みはない (only gratitude, certainly no resentment)」 elegantly yet firmly denies the opposite possibility. To stress in argument or formal writing “only ～, certainly not the opposite ～,” 「〜こそあれ／こそすれ」 has the most weight (nouns use こそあれ, verbs use こそすれ).

❓ FAQ

Q: How do I tell 「こそあれ」 from 「こそすれ」? When do I use which?

The difference is whether a ‘noun' or a ‘verb' precedes — the two's only distinction (same meaning, both “only／only ～, certainly not／never the opposite ～”). 「〜こそあれ」 = precedes a noun (= こそ ＋ the ‘ある' series): when the first half is a noun, use 「こそあれ」: 感謝こそあれ (only gratitude), 違いこそあれ (there may be a difference), 余地こそあれ (there is room for ～ at most), 不満こそあれ (there may be dissatisfaction). It uses 「ある (あれ)」 because a noun naturally takes 「(が) ある」 (感謝がある→感謝こそあれ). 「〜こそすれ」 = precedes a verb (ます-stem) (= こそ ＋ the ‘する' series): when the first half is a verb, use 「こそすれ,」 attaching to the verb's ます-stem: 増えこそすれ (only increase), 悪化しこそすれ (only worsen), 発展こそすれ (only develop), 感謝しこそすれ (only be grateful). It uses 「する (すれ)」 because a verb takes 「(を) する」 or the verb itself (増える→増えこそすれ). So the rule is simple: noun → こそあれ; verb (ます-stem) → こそすれ. Test trick: check whether the first half is a “noun” or a “verb” — noun (感謝・違い・余地) → こそあれ; verb (増える・悪化する・発展する) → こそすれ. E.g. 「感謝こそあれ (noun ‘感謝')」 uses こそあれ; 「増えこそすれ (verb ‘増える')」 uses こそすれ. Same meaning and structure, just 「あれ」 for nouns and 「すれ」 for verbs. (Sometimes a nominalized verb allows both, e.g. 「発展こそあれ [noun]／発展しこそすれ [verb],」 but the basic rule is noun あれ, verb すれ.)

Q: What's the difference between 「こそあれ」 and the plain 「こそ」?

The difference is whether there's the adversative ‘deny the opposite B.' 「〜こそあれ／こそすれ」 = only ～, certainly not ～ (use こそ to stress A, and deny the opposite B, an adversative pattern): it not only stresses A but must deny the opposite B, forming the adversative “only A, certainly not (the opposite) B”: 感謝こそあれ、恨みはない (only gratitude, certainly no resentment — stressing “gratitude,” denying the opposite “resentment”), 増えこそすれ、減りはしない (only increase, never decrease). It's a paired adversative pattern (A こそあれ／こそすれ, followed by denying the opposite B), with the emphasis “(only A,) certainly not the opposite.” 「〜こそ」 (alone) = (plainly) stress ‘precisely ～, only ～' (without denying the opposite): it just stresses a word as “precisely, indeed,” with no need to deny the opposite (see 〈こそ〉): 今こそ行動すべきだ (now is precisely the time to act — stressing “now”), 努力したからこそ成功した (succeeded precisely because of effort — stressing the cause, see 〈からこそ〉), これこそ本物だ (this is the real thing — stressing “this”). It's just the “precisely, indeed” emphasis, not involving “denying the opposite.” Difference: 「こそあれ／こそすれ」 = stress A ＋ deny the opposite B (an adversative pattern, only A certainly not B); the plain 「こそ」 = just stress ‘precisely ～' (no denying the opposite, see 〈こそ〉). Test: to say “only／only ～ A, certainly not／never (the opposite) B” (emphasis ＋ deny the opposite) → こそあれ／こそすれ; to just stress a word as ‘precisely, indeed' → こそ (see 〈こそ〉). E.g. 「感謝こそあれ、恨みはない (only gratitude, certainly no resentment — emphasis ＋ deny the opposite)」 uses こそあれ; 「今こそチャンスだ (now is precisely the chance — plain emphasis)」 uses こそ. One is a “stress A and deny the opposite B” adversative, one is the plain “precisely” emphasis.

🖊️ Practice Quiz

Q1. 「感謝___すれ、批判する気はない。」(only gratitude, no intent to criticize)

(A) こそ　(B) が　(C) も　(D) さえ

Q2. 「不満こそあれ、___。」What's the most natural latter clause?

(A) 不正はしない　(B) 不正をする　(C) 満足している　(D) 不満が多い

Q3. What does 「こそすれ」 attach to?

(A) verb ます-stem (感謝しこそすれ)

(B) verb dict. form (感謝するこそすれ)

(C) verb te-form (感謝してこそすれ)

(D) verb ta-form (感謝したこそすれ)

Q4. What relationship does 「こそあれ〜ない」 express?

(A) affirming A to strongly negate B (there may be A, but never B)

(B) both A and B affirmed

(C) because A, so B

(D) choosing between A and B

Q5. What register is 「こそあれ／こそすれ」?

(A) very formal/written/oratorical, rarely used in speech

(B) casual everyday speech

(C) children's language

(D) internet slang

Answer Key

1. (A) こそ ── 「こそすれ〜ない」 = only A, never B: 感謝こそすれ.

2. (A) 不正はしない ── the latter must be negative: there may be dissatisfaction, but I won't act dishonestly.

3. (A) verb ます-stem ── こそすれ attaches to the verb stem: 感謝しこそすれ.

4. (A) ── affirming A to strongly negate B (there may be A, but never B).

5. (A) ── very formal/written/oratorical, rarely used in speech.