Lesson 181: ようが〜まいが・ようにも〜ない・ではあるまいし・ならいざしらず

N1 · Lesson 181 · 18 min — Grandpa is coming to Japan! From Taoyuan Airport to Haneda, four patterns for expressing stubbornness, helplessness, sarcasm and concession.

Last lesson, the district council's review was postponed, and everyone felt down. But Grandpa doesn't care about the result. He decides to come to Japan as planned! This lesson teaches four strong expressions: ようが〜まいが (whether ~ or not), ようにも〜ない (want to ~ but can't), ではあるまいし (it's not like ~) and ならいざしらず (~ is fine, but ~). Let's start with the comic!

After this lesson, you can:

• Use ようが〜まいが to say "whether ~ or not, ~": 決きまろうが 決きまるまいが、行いく
• Use ようにも〜ない to say "want to ~ but can't": 急いそごうにも 急いそげない
• Use ではあるまいし to say "it's not like ~": 子こどもでは あるまいし
• Use ならいざしらず / ならまだしも to say "~ is fine, but ~": 若者わかものなら いざしらず
• Meeting someone at the airport, express stubbornness, helplessness, a sarcastic "it's not like ~" and "~ is fine, but ~"

Grandpa Flies to Japan!

The review was postponed, but Grandpa still decides to come to Japan! Rin waits for him at Haneda Airport. (結果けっか＝result, 若者わかもの＝young people, この 年とし＝at this age, ようこそ＝welcome, おじいちゃん＝grandpa)

ようが〜まいが＝whether ~ or not; ようにも〜ない＝want to ~ but can't; ではあるまいし＝it's not like ~; ならいざしらず＝~ is fine, but ~. Next lesson, Grandpa finally walks into くまや!

Words for this lesson: Meeting Grandpa at the airport

• 〜ようが 〜まいが (yō ga … mai ga): whether ~ or not, ~
• 〜ようにも 〜ない (yō ni mo … nai): want to ~ but can't
• 〜では あるまいし (de wa arumai shi): it's not like ~ (so of course ~ / why ~?)
• 〜なら いざしらず／〜なら まだしも (nara iza shirazu / nara madashimo): ~ is fine (but ~ is not)
• 結果けっか (kekka): result
• 若者わかもの (wakamono): young people
• 年とし (toshi): age (この 年とし＝at this age)
• 空港くうこう (kūkō): airport
• 急いそぐ (isogu): to hurry, to speed up
• 一日いちにち (ichinichi): one day
• 一週間いっしゅうかん (isshūkan): one week
• 毎日まいにち (mainichi): every day
• 料金りょうきん (ryōkin): fee, cost
• 終電しゅうでん (shūden): last train
• 魔法まほう (mahō): magic
• 緊張きんちょう (kinchō): nervousness
• 旅行りょこう (ryokō): trip, travel
• 荷物にもつ (nimotsu): luggage, things
• 気きに する (ki ni suru): to mind, to worry about
• 無理むり (muri): impossible, too much
• 自由じゆう (jiyū): freedom (do as you like)
• 遅刻ちこく (chikoku): being late
• 新人しんじん (shinjin): newcomer, new person

Grammar 1 / 4: ようが〜まいが

V volitional form + が, V dictionary form + まいが (Group 2 / 3 can also use ます-stem) ＝ whether ~ or not, the result is the same (the decision stays). 決きまろうが 決きまるまいが、行いく＝Decided or not, I'm going.

• Form: V volitional + が, V dictionary form + まいが: V dictionary form + まい (Group 2 / 3 can also use ます-stem: 食たべまい・しまい). Group 1: 決きまろうが 決きまるまいが. Group 2: 食たべようが 食たべまいが; する: しようが しまいが; 来くる: 来こようが 来くるまいが.
• Meaning: whether ~ or not, ~: You put both cases, "do" and "don't," side by side, and then say "the result is the same."
• You can say just the first half: V volitional + が / と ＝ even if ~, ~. Often used with question words: 誰だれが 何なんと 言いおうが / どこへ 行いこうが.
• Feeling: strong, full of determination: The second half is a decision or fact that will not change. It is stronger than 〜ても, like a declaration.

• 決きまろうが 決きまるまいが、日本にほんへ 行いく。 — Decided or not, I'm going to Japan.
• 雨あめが 降ふろうが 降ふるまいが、明日あしたは 出発しゅっぱつする。 — Rain or no rain, I'm leaving tomorrow.
• 食たべようが 食たべまいが、料金りょうきんは 同おなじです。 — Whether you eat or not, the fee is the same.
• 誰だれが 何なんと 言いおうと、わたしは あきらめない。 — No matter who says what, I won't give up.
• どこへ 行いこうが、台湾たいわんの 味あじは 忘わすれない。 — No matter where I go, I won't forget the taste of Taiwan.

Grammar 2 / 4: ようにも〜ない

V volitional + にも + negative potential form ＝ want to ~ but can't: you really want to do it, but something stops you. 急いそごうにも 急いそげない＝I want to hurry, but I can't.

• Form: V volitional + にも + negative potential form: 急いそごうにも 急いそげない / 寝ねようにも 寝ねられない. The two verbs are usually the same verb; する verbs: しようにも できない.
• Meaning: I want to, but I can't: It's not that you don't want to. Something is blocking you. It carries a helpless "nothing I can do" feeling.
• A reason often goes in the middle: Use 〜て / 〜ので / 〜で to say what is blocking you: 雪ゆきで、出でかけようにも 出でかけられない.
• Only for actions you want to do: 行いこうにも assumes you want to go, so a second half like "I don't want to go" is a contradiction. The first verb must be an action you choose to do (a volitional verb). Verbs like 降ふる and 決きまる can't be used with ようにも. (ようが〜まいが can: 降ふろうが、決きまろうが.)

• 急いそごうにも、足あしが 痛いたくて 急いそげない。 — I want to hurry, but I can't, because my feet hurt.
• 寝ねようにも、隣となりの 部屋へやが うるさくて 寝ねられない。 — I want to sleep, but I can't, because the next room is so noisy.
• 帰かえろうにも、終電しゅうでんが 出でて しまって 帰かえれない。 — The last train has already left, so I can't go home even if I want to.
• 電話でんわしようにも、番号ばんごうが わからなくて できない。 — I want to call, but I don't know the number, so I can't.
• 雪ゆきで、出でかけようにも 出でかけられない。 — Because of the snow, I can't go out even if I want to.

Grammar 3 / 4: ではあるまいし

N + ではあるまいし ＝ it's not like ~: first deny an exaggerated identity or situation, then say "so of course ~" or "why ~?" 子こどもでは あるまいし＝I'm not a child.

• Form: N + では あるまいし: In speech people often say じゃ あるまいし. Put the noun directly in front, without だ. With verbs, add の / ん: 旅行りょこうに 行いくんじゃ あるまいし.
• Meaning: it's not like ~: First say "it's not like ~," then say "so of course ~" or "why ~?"
• Second half: judgment, advice, criticism: Often 〜なさい / 〜ないで（ください）/ 〜よ / 〜だろう, like a reminder or a tease. Ending with just 〜ないで is the casual form of 〜ないで ください (to family and friends).
• Feeling: casual, a bit impatient: Use it with friends and family. It is rude to elders or a boss, and it is rarely used in formal writing.

• 子こどもでは あるまいし、ひとりで 行いける。 — I'm not a child, so I can go alone.
• 魔法まほうじゃ あるまいし、すぐには できないよ。 — It's not magic, so I can't finish it right away.
• 初はじめてじゃ あるまいし、緊張きんちょうしないで ください。 — It's not your first time, so please don't be nervous.
• 旅行りょこうに 行いくんじゃ あるまいし、荷物にもつが 多おおすぎるよ。 — It's not like you're going on a trip. That's too much stuff!
• 新人しんじんでは あるまいし、自分じぶんで 考かんがえなさい。 — You're not a newcomer, so think for yourself.

Grammar 4 / 4: ならいざしらず

N / plain form + ならいざしらず / ならまだしも ＝ if it's ~, that's understandable, but (this one) is not OK. 一日いちにちなら まだしも、一週間いっしゅうかんは 無理むりだ＝One day is fine, but one week is too much.

• Form: N / plain form + ならいざしらず / ならまだしも: 若者わかものなら いざしらず / 一日いちにちなら まだしも; the plain form often adds の: 知しらなかった（の）なら まだしも. Nouns also take は: Nは いざしらず / Nは まだしも: 昔むかしは いざしらず.
• Meaning: ~ is fine, but ~: The first half is a milder case that you can forgive. The second half is the present case, which is worse and not OK.
• Second half: criticism, surprise, "can't do it": Often followed by だめだ / 無理むりだ / 〜なんて.
• いざしらず and まだしも: いざしらず originally means "I don't know about ~," and it is more formal. まだしも＝"still acceptable," and it is common in speech too.

• 若者わかものなら いざしらず、この 年としでは 待まてません。 — Young people, fine, but I can't wait at my age.
• 一日いちにちなら まだしも、一週間いっしゅうかんは 無理むりだ。 — One day is fine, but one week is too much.
• 子こどもなら まだしも、大人おとなが 泣なくなんて。 — A child, fine, but an adult crying? Really?
• 昔むかしなら いざしらず、今いまは スマホで 調しらべられる。 — In the past, maybe, but now you can look it up on your phone.
• 初はじめてなら まだしも、三回さんかいも 遅刻ちこくするのは だめだ。 — The first time is fine, but being late three times is not OK.