“tashika ni…ga” Meaning — Certainly…, But… (concession) [JLPT N1]

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

“It's certainly hard, but not impossible” — concede first, then counter, with examples. (JLPT N1)

「確かに難しい。が、不可能ではない」 — concede first, then turn

In argumentative writing and reasoning, there's a technique that reads as objective and persuasive — first grant the other side's valid point, then advance your own claim: 「確かにコストはかかる。が、長期的には得だ (true, it costs; but in the long run it pays off).」 「〜確かに〜が」 = true ～, indeed ～, but…. This guide clarifies this “concede-then-turn” concessive-argument technique, separating it from the standalone 「確かに」 and other turns.

Core: concede first (確かに～), then turn (が／しかし～)

「確かに〜が／確かに〜しかし」 is a fixed concessive-argument structure — first use 「確かに」 to grant the other (or some view)'s valid side, then use 「が／しかし」 to turn and advance your real claim:

• 確かに、彼の意見にも一理ある。が、現実的ではない (true, his opinion has a point too. But it isn't realistic).
• 確かに難しい。しかし、不可能ではない (true, it's hard. But it isn't impossible).
• なるほど、理屈は分かる。だが、感情が納得しない (I see, I get the logic. But emotionally I'm not convinced).

Feel: the core is “concede first (確かに = indeed, true, granting a part), then turn (が／しかし／だが, advancing your own claim).” It's an objective, persuasive argument technique — by “first granting the other's point” it softens opposition, reads as fair, then brings out your real point. 「なるほど〜が」 is similar (agree first, then turn). In English: “true ～, but…／indeed ～, however….”

How it attaches

Example sentences

• 確かに、この案には欠点がある。しかし、他に代案はない。(True, this plan has flaws. But there's no alternative.)
• 確かに彼は優秀だ。が、チームワークには向かない。(He is indeed excellent. But he's not suited to teamwork.)
• なるほど、一理ある。だが、それだけでは説明がつかない。(I see, there's a point. But that alone doesn't explain it.)
• 確かに便利だ。とはいえ、使いすぎには注意が必要だ。(It's certainly convenient. That said, one must beware of overusing it.)
• 確かに失敗した。が、そこから学んだことは大きい。(True, I failed. But what I learned from it was great.)

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① The core is the ‘concede-then-turn' concessive-argument technique; the point is the latter clause (after が). This is 「確かに〜が」's key. It's an argument technique — first use 「確かに」 to grant the other (or some view)'s valid side (concede), then use 「が／しかし」 to turn and bring out your real claim. The point: after 「確かに」 is the ‘granting, concession' part, and only after 「が」 is what the speaker really wants to stress: 確かにコストは高い (grant: cost is indeed high). が、品質を考えれば妥当だ (claim: but considering quality it's reasonable — this is the point). By “first granting the other's point,” it reads as objective, fair, persuasive, then forcefully brings out your view. Test: to argue objectively, persuasively “(I grant) it's true ～, but (I think) …” → 確かに〜が.

② Standalone 「確かに」 = indeed, true (confirmation); 「確かに〜が」 = concede-then-turn. Note 「確かに」 has two uses. ① Standalone 「確かに」 = indeed, true (confirming, agreeing with something): 確かに、その通りだ (true, just as you say — plain agreement), この目で確かに見た (I did indeed see it with my own eyes — confirmation). ②「確かに〜が」 = true ～ but… (the concede-then-turn argument): 確かに難しいが、やる価値はある (true it's hard, but it's worth doing — grant then turn). Difference: standalone 「確かに」 is plain confirmation, agreement; 「確かに〜が」 is an argument technique (granting only for the later turn). Test: to just agree “indeed, true” → 確かに (standalone); to “concede first then turn” (granting to bring out your own claim) → 確かに〜が.

③ Separate it from 「とはいえ」 — 確かに〜が is the full ‘concede-then-turn' structure, とはいえ is the ‘that said' turning connective. Both have a concessive-turning flavor, but differ in use. 「確かに〜が」 = true ～, but… (the full argument structure ‘concede (確かに) ＋ turn (が)'): 確かに便利だが、問題もある (true it's convenient, but there are problems too — a full concede-then-turn). It appears paired (確かに…が…). 「〜とはいえ」 = that said, even so (picking up the prior text, a turning connective): 便利だ。とはいえ、問題もある (it's convenient. That said, there are problems — picking up the prior “convenient,” then turning). It mostly picks up already-stated content to turn, not itself containing 「確かに」's “deliberately conceding first.” Difference: 「確かに〜が」 = the deliberate full structure “concede (確かに) then turn (が)”; 「とはいえ」 = the “that said” turning connective (picking up prior text). Test: for the full argument “grant the other's point, then advance a claim” → 確かに〜が; for just picking up the prior text “that said” then turning → とはいえ. (They also combine: 確かに便利だ。とはいえ….)

🔄 Compare: 確かに〜が／なるほど〜が／とはいえ／確かに (standalone)

💡 Quick takeaway

「〜確かに〜が」 = true ～, indeed ～, but… — three points: ① the core is the “concede-then-turn” concessive-argument technique — first use 「確かに」 to grant the other's valid side (concede), then use 「が／しかし」 to bring out your real claim (the point in the latter clause); ② standalone 「確かに」 = indeed, true (confirmation), while 「確かに〜が」 is the argument technique; ③ separate it from 「とはいえ (the turning connective picking up prior text)」. This technique is a weapon of argumentative writing, commentary, debate — first graciously grant “true, you have a point,” then forcefully turn “が, but I think…,” reading as both objective and fair while forcefully bringing out your view. To write persuasive, non-aggressive argument, 「確かに〜が」 is a lovely move.

❓ Questions you might have

Q: Why does 「確かに〜が」 grant the other side first? Can't I just state my claim?

Because ‘concede-then-turn' is a technique that makes an argument read as objective, fair, and persuasive. The essence of 「確かに〜が」 is to first graciously grant the other (or some view)'s valid side (= concede), then turn to bring out your own claim. This has several benefits: ① reads as objective, fair — first granting “true, you have a point” shows you're not merely denying, that you've seriously considered the other's stance, reading as fair, unbiased: 確かに、あなたの言う通りコストはかかる (first granting the other's concern — showing you're listening). ② softens opposition, non-aggressive — conceding first, then turning, is gentler and more acceptable than a direct rebuttal: 確かに難しい。が、挑戦する価値はある (grant it's hard, then advance the claim — more persuasive than bluntly “it's worth attempting”). ③ highlights your own claim — precisely because you granted the other first, the claim brought out by the later 「が」 carries more weight, is more highlighted. So it's not just politeness but an argument strategy: concede first → read as fair → soften opposition → forcefully bring out the point. Test: to write persuasive, objective, non-aggressive argument (essays, commentary, debate) → use 「確かに〜が」 to concede then turn; stating the claim directly also works, but lacks that objectivity and persuasion.

Q: What's the difference between standalone 「確かに」 and 「確かに〜が」?

The difference is ‘plain confirmation' vs ‘concede-then-turn (an argument technique).' 「確かに」 (standalone) = indeed, true (plain confirmation, agreement): used alone, it's plainly confirming, agreeing with something, for “that's right, indeed so”: 「明日は雨らしいよ」「確かに、空が暗いね」 (“It seems it'll rain tomorrow.” “True, the sky's dark.” — plain agreement), この書類は確かに受け取りました (I did indeed receive this document — confirmation). It just expresses agreement, confirmation, with no following turn. 「確かに〜が」 = true ～ but… (the concede-then-turn argument technique): it's a paired structure, 「確かに」's granting serving the later 「が」's turn — grant a part first, then bring out your real claim: 確かに彼は真面目だ。が、融通が利かない (true he's diligent. But he's inflexible — the granting is just a setup, the point is the later “inflexible”). Difference: 「確かに」 (standalone) = plain confirmation, agreement (no following turn); 「確かに〜が」 = concede then turn (granting to bring out the later claim). Test: to just agree, confirm something “indeed, true” → 確かに (standalone); to grant a part of the other's first, then turn to advance your claim (argument) → 確かに〜が. Whether there's a following 「が／しかし」 turn tells them apart.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「___彼の案は魅力的だ。が、予算が足りない。」(Indeed his plan is appealing. But the budget is insufficient)

(A) 確かに　(B) まさか　(C) いったい　(D) どうせ

Q2. 「確かに〇が〇」の論理構造として正しいものは？

(A) First concede the other side's point, then pivot to assert one's own claim

(B) Completely deny the other side from start to finish

(C) Fully agree with the other side with no pivot

(D) Merely raise a simple question

Q3. 「なるほど、難しい問題ですが、解決策はあります。」What does this sentence mean?

(A) It's indeed a hard problem, but there's still a solution

(B) It's fine because it's very easy

(C) There's no solution at all

(D) Not sure whether it's a hard problem

Q4. 「確かに〇が〇」に相当する英語の表現として最も近いものは？

(A) Admittedly, ... but ...　(B) Because ...

(C) For example, ...　(D) In conclusion, ...

Q5. 「確かに」を使った譲歩の文として最も自然なものは？

(A) 確かに値段は高い。しかし、品質は最高だ。　(B) 確かに値段は高いので、安い。

(C) 確かに、だから買わない。　(D) 値段は確かにが高い。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) 確かに ── 「確かに〇が〇」 ＝ admittedly 〇, but 〇 (conceding acknowledgment).

2. (A) First grant the other's point, then pivot to assert one's own claim ── the standard concessive structure of argumentative writing.

3. (A) Indeed it's a difficult problem, but there's still a solution ── なるほど〇が = “indeed…, but….”

4. (A) Admittedly, ... but ... ── equivalent to English ‘admittedly 〇 but 〇'.

5. (A) ── first concede (確かに高い), then pivot (しかし品質は最高).