Lesson 175: たる・にして・ばこそ・とは

N1 · Lesson 175 · 18 min — Status, time, heartfelt reasons and surprise: Grandpa announces on a video call that he is coming to Japan.

After the last lesson's public hearing, Rin made a vow: 'No rest until the review is done!' It is March. Everyone is still waiting for the result, and then Grandpa in Taiwan calls... This lesson teaches four formal N1 patterns: たる (as a ~, plus the bonus とも あろう), にして (only after ~ / both ~ and ~), ばこそ (precisely because ~) and とは (to think that ~!). Read the comic first!

After this lesson, you can:

• Use たる もの for 'as a ~ (you should ~)': 祖父そふたる もの、約束やくそくは 守まもる. Also meet とも あろう 人ひとが ('how could a ~ do that?')
• Use にして for 'only after ~' and 'both ~ and ~': 五十年ごじゅうねんに して、ようやく
• Use ばこそ for 'precisely because ~': 待まつ 人ひとが いれば こそ、行いくんだ
• Use とは to say 'to think that ~!' in surprise: まさか 先生せんせいが 食たべて しまうとは！

The 50-Year Promise

March, still waiting for the review result. Grandpa is going to Japan to keep a promise from fifty years ago, the words on the envelope: 「春はるに なったら、また ここで」! (祖父そふ=grandfather, 孫まご=grandchild, ようやく=finally, 渡わたす=hand over, 味見あじみ=taste test)

たる=as a ~; にして=only after ~; ばこそ=precisely because ~; とは=to think that ~! Next lesson: Rin graduates from vocational school!

Words for this lesson: status, time, reasons, surprise

• 〜たる もの (taru mono): as a ~ (you should ~)
• 〜とも あろう (tomo arō): a ~ like that (yet ~)
• 〜に して (ni shite): only after ~; both ~ and ~
• 〜ば こそ (ba koso): precisely because ~
• 〜とは (to wa): to think that ~! (surprise)
• 祖父そふ (sofu): (my own) grandfather
• 孫まご (mago): grandchild
• 約束やくそく (yakusoku): promise
• 守まもる (mamoru): to keep (a promise); to protect
• ようやく (yōyaku): finally (after a long wait)
• ガイド (gaido): guide
• おみやげ (omiyage): souvenir, gift from a trip
• 渡わたす (watasu): to hand over
• まさか (masaka): never expected; no way
• 味見あじみ (ajimi): tasting, trying the flavor
• 教師きょうし (kyōshi): teacher (formal)
• 医者いしゃ (isha): doctor
• 作家さっか (sakka): writer, author
• 親おや (oya): parent(s)
• 遅刻ちこく (chikoku): being late
• 会場かいじょう (kaijō): venue, hall
• 三度目さんどめ (sandome): third time
• 合格ごうかく (gōkaku): to pass (an exam)
• 一瞬いっしゅん (isshun): an instant
• 飛行機ひこうき (hikōki): airplane
• 期待きたい (kitai): expectation (期待きたいする = to expect, to have high hopes)
• 厳きびしい (kibishii): strict
• 驚おどろく (odoroku): to be surprised

Grammar 1 / 4: たる

N (role) + たる もの = as a ~ (you should ~). 祖父そふたる もの、約束やくそくは 守まもる = As a grandfather, I keep my promises. Bonus: N + とも あろう 人ひとが = a ~, of all people, yet ~.

• Form: N + たる もの(は): たる goes right after the noun, with no の. もの means 'person', so the phrase is 'a person who is a ~'.
• After it: what is expected: It is often followed by 〜べきだ、〜なければ ならない、〜ては いけない, or a plain dictionary-form statement (約束やくそくは 守まもる).
• Bonus: とも あろう 人ひとが: N + とも あろう 人ひとが + (something one should not do) = a ~, of all people, ~. The speaker thinks 'someone in this role shouldn't act like this', with surprise or criticism. The sentence often ends with なんて. Just recognize it. The star of this lesson is たる もの.
• Feel: formal and grand: Both patterns are very formal and weighty. Use them in speeches, writing or serious statements. In the comic, Neko-sensei uses 孫まごたる もの about 'tasting', on purpose making it sound grand. That's why it's funny!

• 祖父そふたる もの、約束やくそくは 守まもる。 — As a grandfather, I keep my promises.
• 教師きょうしたる もの、遅刻ちこくしては いけない。 — As a teacher, you must not be late.
• 親おやたる もの、子こどもとの 約束やくそくは 守まもる べきだ。 — As a parent, you should keep your promises to your child.
• ガイドたる もの、お客きゃくさまより 先さきに 着つかなければ ならない。 — As a guide, you must arrive before the guests.
• 先生せんせいとも あろう 人ひとが、会場かいじょうで 寝ねる なんて。 — (Bonus) A teacher, of all people, sleeping at the venue.

Grammar 2 / 4: にして

N (time・age・count) + に して = only after ~; A に して B = both A and B. 五十年ごじゅうねんに して、ようやく 会あえる = Only after fifty years can we finally meet.

• Form: N + に して: It follows a noun directly, with no の. Most common are time (五十年ごじゅうねん), age (七十歳ななじゅっさい) and counts (三度目さんどめ).
• Meaning 1: only after ~: It is often followed by ようやく、やっと、はじめて, stressing 'after so long, after so many tries, finally ~'.
• Meaning 2: A に して B = both A and B: One person (or thing) has two impressive roles at once: 医者いしゃに して 作家さっか = both a doctor and a writer. This is very formal. In the comic, Rin says 「孫まごに して ガイドなのだ」 and sounds proud on purpose.
• Don't confuse it with に しては: に しては (for a ~, yet ~) says 'different from what you'd expect'. に して, with no は, means 'only after ~' or 'both ~ and ~'. One extra は changes the meaning completely!

• 五十年ごじゅうねんに して、ようやく 会あえる。 — Only after fifty years can we finally meet.
• 熊太くまたは 三度目さんどめに して、やっと 合格ごうかくした。 — Kumata finally passed on his third try.
• あの おばあさんは 七十歳ななじゅっさいに して、はじめて 飛行機ひこうきに 乗のった。 — That old lady took her first flight only at the age of seventy.
• あの 人ひとは 医者いしゃに して 作家さっかだ。 — That person is both a doctor and a writer.
• くまやの 店長てんちょうは 父ちちに して 師匠ししょうだ。 — The owner of くまや is both a father and a master.

Grammar 3 / 4: ばこそ

V ば／A ければ／N で あれば + こそ = precisely because ~ (a formal version of からこそ). 待まつ 人ひとが いれば こそ、行いくんだ = Precisely because someone is waiting, I will go.

• Form: ば form + こそ: Verbs take the ば form: いる→いれば こそ, 思おもう→思おもえば こそ. い-adjectives: 厳きびしい→厳きびしければ こそ. Nouns and な-adjectives: 〜で あれば こそ.
• Meaning: precisely because ~: Like からこそ, it stresses 'this is exactly the reason'. ば こそ is more formal and solemn. It is often used for heartfelt reasons, to explain why you do something, and the sentence often ends with 〜のだ／〜んだ.
• Usually a positive, heartfelt reason: 思おもえば こそ (because I care about you), 期待きたいして いれば こそ (because I expect much of you): ば こそ carries the feeling that the speaker values this reason. It is more solemn than からこそ and is mostly for reasons the speaker truly cares about. In everyday speech, からこそ is enough, and for a plain cause use ので.
• Not for plain, bad causes: For a plain cause like 'the train was late because it rained', don't use ば こそ. Use ので or せいで.

• 待まつ 人ひとが いれば こそ、行いくんだ。 — Precisely because someone is waiting, I will go.
• あなたの ことを 思おもえば こそ、厳きびしく 言いうのだ。 — It is precisely because I care about you that I speak so strictly.
• 家族かぞくで あれば こそ、言いえる ことも ある。 — It is precisely because we are family that some things can be said.
• 好すきで あれば こそ、毎日まいにち 練習れんしゅうできる。 — It is precisely because I like it that I can practice every day.
• 期待きたいして いれば こそ、厳きびしく するのだ。 — It is precisely because I expect much of you that I am so strict.

Grammar 4 / 4: とは

Plain form + とは = to think that ~! (surprise, amazement). Often used with まさか: まさか 先生せんせいが 食たべて しまうとは！ = To think the teacher actually ate them!

• Form: plain form + とは: Use the plain form for verbs and adjectives. For nouns and な-adjectives, だ can be added or left out: 医者いしゃだ とは = 医者いしゃとは.
• Meaning: to think that ~, I never imagined ~: The speaker never expected it, so they are surprised or amazed. It is much like なんて, which you know, but とは is more formal and bookish.
• Common partners: まさか (never in a million years) often comes first. After it you can end with 「〜とは！」, or continue with 思おもわなかった or 驚おどろいた.
• Good or bad news: 五十年ごじゅうねんも 待まって いた とは (touching), 先生せんせいが 食たべて しまうとは (speechless): any unexpected thing works.

• まさか 先生せんせいが 食たべて しまうとは！ — To think the teacher actually ate them!
• 祖父そふが 本当ほんとうに 日本にほんに 来くる とは 思おもわなかった。 — I never thought Grandpa would really come to Japan.
• 三月さんがつに 雪ゆきが 降ふる とは。 — To think it snowed in March!
• 五十年ごじゅうねんも 待まって いた とは、驚おどろいた。 — To think he waited fifty years. It's astonishing.
• あの 小ちいさい 店みせが 有名ゆうめいに なる とは！ — To think that little shop became famous!