Lesson 180: と いえども・とは いえ・と 思いきや・た ところで

N1 · Lesson 180 · 18 min — Concession, contrast, surprise, futility: the ward assembly's vote got delayed!

Last lesson, Rin understood the editorial, and even a neighbor on the opposing side nodded. This lesson covers four N1 patterns for concession and contrast: と いえども (even a ~), とは いえ (although ~), と 思おもいきや (I thought ~, but ~), and た ところで (even if you ~, it's no use). Comic first!

After this lesson, you can:

• Use と いえども for 'even a ~ still ~': 区長くちょうと いえども、一人ひとりでは 決きめられない
• Use とは いえ to admit a fact, then add a twist: 延期えんきとは いえ、まだ チャンスは ある
• Use と 思おもいきや for 'I thought ~, but ~': 決きまるかと 思おもいきや、延期えんきに なった
• Use た ところで for 'even if you ~, it's no use': 急いそいだ ところで、もう 間まに合あわない

The Delayed Vote

The editorial swung opinion toward 'both sides win.' Today the assembly debates the road plan, and Rin and Kumata sit in the gallery early. (議会ぎかい= assembly, 延期えんき= postponement)

と いえども = even a, とは いえ = although, と 思おもいきや = I thought, た ところで = no use. Next: Grandpa's big decision!

Words for this lesson

• 〜と いえども (to iedomo): even a ~ still ~ (formal)
• 〜とは いえ (to wa ie): although ~, still ~
• 〜と 思おもいきや (to omoikiya): I thought ~, but ~
• 〜た ところで (ta tokoro de): even if ~ (it's no use)
• 区長くちょう (kuchō): ward mayor
• 議会ぎかい (gikai): assembly
• 延期えんき (enki): postponement
• 反対はんたい (hantai): opposition
• 声こえ (koe): voice; opinion
• 今いまさら (imasara): now, at this late point
• 昼ひるごはん (hirugohan): lunch
• おかわり (okawari): a second helping
• ダイエット中ちゅう (daietto-chū): on a diet
• やっぱり (yappari): as expected
• プロ (puro): professional
• ミス (misu): mistake
• 料理人りょうりにん (ryōrinin): cook; chef
• 意外いがいに (igai ni): surprisingly
• 間まに合あう (ma ni au): make it in time
• 謝あやまる (ayamaru): to apologize
• 許ゆるす (yurusu): to forgive
• 外食がいしょく (gaishoku): eating out
• すく (suku): (shop, train) be empty, not crowded
• 専門家せんもんか (senmonka): expert
• 講演こうえん (kōen): lecture; speech
• 権利けんり (kenri): right (legal)

Grammar 1 / 4: といえども

Noun / plain form + と いえども = even a ~ still ~: put a status or condition that should be an exception before it, then say 'it's still the same.' 区長くちょうと いえども、一人ひとりでは 決きめられない = Even a ward mayor can't decide alone.

• Form: noun / plain form + と いえども: Attach directly to nouns, no だ: 区長くちょうと いえども. Plain forms work too: 忙いそがしいと いえども.
• Meaning: even a X still ~: X is a person or condition that should be special or exempt. What follows says 'still no exception.'
• Written, formal: Used in speeches, editorials and news. With friends, just say でも／ても: 区長くちょうでも 一人ひとりでは 決きめられない. In the comic, Rin deliberately uses the formal form, which is why Kumata laughs that Rin 'sounds like a newspaper'.
• 1 + counter + と いえども: 一日いちにちと いえども・一円いちえんと いえども = even a single day, even one yen. Very similar to たりとも, which you learned before.

• 区長くちょうと いえども、一人ひとりでは 決きめられない。 — Even a ward mayor can't decide alone.
• プロと いえども、ミスは する。 — Even a professional makes mistakes.
• 子こどもと いえども、ルールは 守まもる べきだ。 — Even a child should follow the rules.
• 先生せんせいと いえども、間違まちがえる ことは ある。 — Even a teacher can be wrong.

Grammar 2 / 4: とはいえ

Noun / plain form + とは いえ = although ~, still ~: first admit a fact that is true, then say 'but ~'. 延期えんきとは いえ、まだ チャンスは ある = Although it was postponed, there is still a chance.

• Form: noun / plain form + とは いえ: 延期えんきとは いえ・安やすいとは いえ・来きて 三年さんねんとは いえ.
• Meaning: although ~, still ~: What comes before is a fact that is already true. What follows is a result or thought that does not quite fit it.
• At the start of a sentence: とは いえ、〜: Follows the previous sentence and means 'that said, ~': 延期えんきに なった。とは いえ、まだ チャンスは ある。 In speech, people usually say でも／と いっても. とは いえ is a bit more formal, and in conversation it sounds emphatic, like making a resolution.
• Compared with と いえども: と いえども stresses 'even someone like X ~'; とは いえ says 'X is true, but ~'. Its meaning is close to と いっても, which you learned before, but more formal.

• 延期えんきとは いえ、まだ チャンスは ある。 — Although it was postponed, there is still a chance.
• 三月さんがつとは いえ、まだ 寒さむい。 — Although it's already March, it's still cold.
• 安やすいとは いえ、毎日まいにち 外食がいしょくは できない。 — Cheap as it is, you shouldn't eat out every day.
• 日本にほんに 来きて 三年さんねんとは いえ、敬語けいごは まだ むずかしい。 — Although I've been in Japan three years, honorific language is still hard.

Grammar 3 / 4: とおもいきや

Plain form + と 思おもいきや = I thought ~, but ~: before it is what you expected in your head, after it is what really happened, the opposite. 決きまるかと 思おもいきや、延期えんきに なった = I thought it would be decided, but it was postponed.

• Form: plain form + と 思おもいきや: Nouns and questions often add か: 雨あめかと 思おもいきや・決きまるかと 思おもいきや. 思おもいきや itself never changes.
• Meaning: I thought ~, but ~: Before it is the expectation. After it is a surprising result that is the opposite of the expectation.
• Followed by something that already happened: What follows is usually past tense (なった・晴はれて きた). Don't use your own will, an invitation or a request.
• Feel: written, a bit dramatic: Common in writing and news headlines. In speech it sounds exaggerated or funny. In daily talk, 〜と 思おもったら is enough.

• 決きまるかと 思おもいきや、延期えんきに なった。 — I thought it would be decided, but it was postponed.
• 雨あめかと 思おもいきや、晴はれて きた。 — I thought it would rain, but it cleared up.
• 簡単かんたんだと 思おもいきや、意外いがいに むずかしかった。 — I thought it was easy, but it was surprisingly hard.
• ねこ先生せんせいが ダイエット中ちゅうかと 思おもいきや、おかわりした。 — I thought Neko-sensei was on a diet, but Neko-sensei had another helping.

Grammar 4 / 4: たところで

Verb た-form + ところで = even if ~ (it's no use): the speaker feels 'doing it is pointless.' 急いそいだ ところで、もう 間まに合あわない = Even if we hurry, it's too late.

• Form: verb た-form + ところで: Always the た-form: 言いった ところで、急いそいだ ところで. The dictionary form doesn't work.
• Meaning: even if ~, no use: The speaker judges that 'doing it can't change anything.' What follows is usually negative or pointless.
• Often with いくら・たとえ・何なにを: いくら 考かんがえた ところで・たとえ 謝あやまった ところで・何なにを 言いった ところで.
• Not the same as sentence-initial ところで or た ところだ: Sentence-initial ところで is the 'by the way' you learned (changing the topic); た ところだ is 'just finished ~'. Verb た-form + ところで with a negative after it is 'even if ~, no use'.

• 今いまさら 何なにを 言いった ところで、変かわらない。 — Now, whatever you say, nothing will change.
• 急いそいだ ところで、もう 間まに合あわない。 — Even if we hurry, it's already too late.
• 謝あやまった ところで、許ゆるして もらえないだろう。 — Even if you apologize, you probably won't be forgiven.
• いくら 考かんがえた ところで、答こたえは 出でない。 — However much I think, I can't find the answer.