Lesson 174: と きたら・からして・たりとも

N1 · Lesson 174 · 17 min — Complain about people close to you, judge the whole from one detail, deny everything: the hearing is over, now we wait for the review!

Last lesson, Rin finished his speech at the public hearing. Both plans will now go to review. In this lesson you learn three "strong tone" N1 patterns: と きたら (speaking of ~, I can't stand it), からして (just from ~ you can tell; even ~), and たりとも (not even one ~). Let's read the comic first!

After this lesson, you can:

• Use と きたら to complain about people or things around you: うちの 先生せんせいと きたら、会場かいじょうで 寝ねて いた
• Use からして to judge the whole from one small detail: この 木きは 形かたちからして 特別とくべつだ
• Use たりとも〜ない to say "not even one ~": 一日いちにちたりとも 休やすまない

Before the Review

Both plans were presented at the hearing, and Rin spoke well. After the meeting, Kumata spills the news: Neko-sensei fell asleep in the hall! (公聴会こうちょうかい = public hearing, 会場かいじょう = venue, 審議しんぎ = review)

ときたら complains, からして judges the whole from one detail, たりとも〜ない denies everything. Next lesson: Grandpa announces big news on a video call!

Words for this lesson

• 〜と きたら (to kitara): speaking of ~ (I can't stand it)
• 〜からして (kara shite): just from ~ (you can tell); even ~
• 一日いちにちたりとも 〜ない (taritomo): not even one ~ (total denial)
• 公聴会こうちょうかい (kōchōkai): public hearing
• 会場かいじょう (kaijō): venue, hall
• いびき (ibiki): snoring
• 形かたち (katachi): shape
• 特別とくべつ (tokubetsu): special
• 枝えだ (eda): branch
• 丈夫じょうぶ (jōbu): sturdy, strong
• 審議しんぎ (shingi): review (formal discussion and decision by an assembly)
• 大盛おおもり (ōmori): large portion
• 一粒ひとつぶ (hitotsubu): one grain
• 残のこす (nokosu): to leave (behind), to leave over
• 見みた目め (mitame): appearance, looks
• 計画けいかく (keikaku): plan
• 店長てんちょう (tenchō): shop manager
• 一瞬いっしゅん (isshun): an instant
• 油断ゆだん (yudan): carelessness, letting your guard down
• むだに する (muda ni suru): waste
• 態度たいど (taido): attitude

Grammar 1 / 3: ときたら

N＋と きたら、〜 = speaking of ~ (I can't stand it): first bring up a person or thing close to you, then say your complaint or exasperation. うちの 先生せんせいと きたら、会場かいじょうで 寝ねて いた = Our sensei, honestly, fell asleep at the venue.

• Form: N＋と きたら、〜: Put と きたら right after a noun, then describe that person or thing: うちの 先生せんせいと きたら、〜.
• Meaning: speaking of ~ (I can't stand it): You bring the topic to a person or thing, then complain or show exasperation. The noun is often someone or something familiar to you: family, classmates, teacher, room, train.
• A complaint follows, not a request: After と きたら, the speaker mostly shows dissatisfaction, surprise or exasperation (this lesson covers only this use). Do not follow it with requests, invitations or your own resolve (〜て ください・〜よう).
• Spoken style; compare with は: 熊太くまたは また 遅刻ちこくした: just states a fact. 熊太くまたと きたら、また 遅刻ちこくした: adds the feeling "honestly, again?!" Not used in formal situations.

• うちの 先生せんせいと きたら、会場かいじょうで 寝ねて いた。 — Speaking of our sensei, he fell asleep at the venue.
• 熊太くまたと きたら、また アルバイトに 遅刻ちこくした。 — Speaking of Kumata, he was late for his part-time job again.
• うちの 猫ねこと きたら、一日中いちにちじゅう 寝ねて いる。 — My cat, honestly, sleeps all day.
• 最近さいきんの 電車でんしゃと きたら、いつも 混こんで いる。 — Speaking of the trains lately, they are always terribly crowded.
• この 部屋へやと きたら、冬ふゆは 寒さむくて たまらない。 — Speaking of this room, it is unbearably cold in winter.

Grammar 2 / 3: からして

N＋からして = (1) even the most basic ~ (so the rest is even worse); (2) just from ~ (you can tell): pick one small detail and infer the whole. この 木きは 形かたちからして 特別とくべつだ = Just from its shape, this tree is special.

• Form: N＋からして: Put からして right after a noun, with no だ: 形かたちからして・名前なまえからして.
• Meaning (1): even the most basic ~: Pick the most basic part, the first thing you see, and say "if even this is like that, the rest is no surprise": 名前なまえからして わかりにくい. A person often comes before it too: 店長てんちょうからして いつも 遅刻ちこくする (even the manager is always late, so the others are worse). Mostly used for criticism.
• Meaning (2): just from ~, you can tell: You use one small detail as the basis for a judgment: 枝えだからして 丈夫じょうぶそうだ. It is often followed by 〜そうだ・〜ようだ・〜だろう.
• Not "because," and not "from (a place)": 雨あめだから (because) and 駅えきから (from the station) use the ordinary から. からして means "pick one, see the whole," and only a noun comes before it.

• この 木きは 形かたちからして 特別とくべつだ。 — Just from its shape, this tree is special.
• この 計画けいかくは、名前なまえからして わかりにくい。 — This plan: even the name is hard to understand.
• この 店みせは、店長てんちょうからして いつも 遅刻ちこくする。 — At this shop, even the manager is always late (the others are worse).
• あの 店みせは、見みた目めからして 高たかそうだ。 — That shop looks expensive just from its appearance.
• 彼かれの 態度たいどからして、まだ 怒おこって いるようだ。 — Judging from his attitude, he still seems to be angry.
• この ラーメンは、香かおりからして おいしそうだ。 — This ramen seems delicious just from its aroma.

Grammar 3 / 3: たりとも

一＋counter＋たりとも＋〜ない = not even one ~ (total denial): stresses "not a single one, not once." 一日いちにちたりとも 休やすまない = I won't rest even for one day.

• Form: 一＋counter＋たりとも〜ない: "One" plus a counter comes first: 一日いちにち・一人ひとり・一円いちえん・一粒ひとつぶ・一瞬いっしゅん. A negative always follows.
• Meaning: not even one ~: You pick the smallest unit to stress "not even one" = total denial. The tone is very strong and often shows resolve or a strict rule.
• Compare with 一日いちにちも〜ない: 一日いちにちも 休やすまない: the ordinary way. 一日いちにちたりとも 休やすまない: stronger and more formal, common in speeches, resolutions and rules.
• You can't use two or three: "Two days" or "three days" does not work. The power of たりとも comes from the smallest number, "one."

• 審議しんぎまで、一日いちにちたりとも 休やすまない。 — Before the review, I won't rest even for one day.
• 一円いちえんたりとも むだに しない。 — I won't waste even one yen.
• 試合しあいの 間あいだは、一瞬いっしゅんたりとも 油断ゆだんできない。 — During the match, you must not let your guard down even for an instant.
• この 部屋へやには、一人ひとりたりとも 入いれない。 — This room won't let in even one person.
• ご飯はんは、一粒ひとつぶたりとも 残のこさない。 — Not even one grain of rice is left.