Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 49
A difficult customer
〜ようによっては ・ 〜極まる/〜極まりない ・ 〜尽くす ・ 〜もので
In this lesson, you will learn to say 'looked at one way' with 〜ようによっては, to say something is as rude or as dangerous as it gets with 〜極まりない, to say someone did something completely, or tried everything, with 〜尽くす, and to give a polite reason or excuse with 〜もので. It is February, and a client shouts at Lisa on the phone over a late delivery.
By the end you will be able to say
運送業者が 新しい 経路に 不慣れなもので、配達が 滞って おります。Because the shipping company is new to the route, deliveries have been held up.
こちらでも 手を 尽くしました。We've done everything we can on our side too.
あの 態度は 失礼極まりないです。That attitude is as rude as it gets.
考えようによっては、文句を 言う 客は まだ 買う 気が ある。Looked at one way, a client who complains still wants to buy.
部長は、この 業界を 知り尽くして いる。The manager knows this industry inside out.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜ようによっては — depending on how you (look at it) — A verb's ます-stem + よう + によっては says that, done or seen a certain way, a thing can turn out quite differently.
- 〜極まりない / 〜極まる — as ... as it gets — A な-adjective or a noun of judgment + 極まりない (or 極まる) says 'extremely', usually of something bad.
- 〜尽くす — do it completely; try everything — A verb's ます-stem + 尽くす says something is done to the very end; 手を 尽くす says you tried every means.
- 〜もので — because (a polite reason or excuse) — A な-adjective or a noun + なもので gives a reason, usually to explain or excuse something politely.