Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 13
Visiting a client
〜に足る ・ 〜に値する ・ 〜並み ・ 〜とは比べものにならない ・ 〜に引き換え
In this lesson, you will learn to judge and compare the way a business visit does: to say something is worthy of trust with 〜に足る (or too small to matter with 取るに足らない), worth the effort with 〜に値する, on a par with a standard with 〜並み, in another league with 〜とは比べものにならない, and different from before with 〜に引き換え. It is late July, and Lisa goes with Ai to the frozen-food maker in Shizuoka.
By the end you will be able to say
本当に 見学に値する 工場でした。It really was a factory worth the visit.
御社は 信頼に 足る 取引先です。Your company is a client worthy of trust.
価格は 業界並みです。The prices are on a par with the industry.
品質は 安い 他社とは 比べものに なりません。The quality is in another league from the cheap rivals'.
去年に引き換え、今年は 売上が 伸びて います。Unlike last year, sales are growing this year.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜に足る / 〜に足らない — worthy of; not worth — Noun or verb + に 足る says something is worthy of it (信頼に 足る); に 足らない says it is not worth it, and 取るに足らない means too small to matter.
- 〜に値する — worth (doing); deserves — Noun or verb + に値する says something is worth the effort or deserves it: 見学に値する, 読むに値する.
- 〜並み — on a par with; as much as — Noun + 並み means 'on the level of' or 'average for': 業界並み, 大人並み, 人並み.
- 〜とは比べものにならない — in another league from — AはBとは比べものにならない says A and B are on such different levels that comparing them makes no sense.
- 〜に引き換え — in contrast to; unlike — Noun + に引き換え sets two things side by side in sharp contrast, usually one good and one bad.