Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 52
Mori's advice
〜までもない/〜までもなく ・ 〜くらいなら ・ 〜ことのないように ・ かつて
In this lesson, you will learn to say that something is too obvious to need doing with 〜までもない and 言うまでもなく, to turn down one choice for a better one with 〜くらいなら, to warn that something must never happen with the formal 〜ことのないように, and to look back on how things once were with かつて. Lisa asks Mori, a veteran of thirty wedding speeches, how to give hers.
By the end you will be able to say
言うまでもなく、主役は 新郎新婦です。Needless to say, the bride and groom are the stars.
長々と 話すくらいなら、簡潔に まとめます。Rather than go on and on, I'll keep it brief.
二人が 恥ずかしい 思いを する ことのないように、内輪の 冗談は 言いません。So that the two of them are never embarrassed, I won't tell private jokes.
部長は かつて、部下の 結婚式で 長い スピーチを しました。The manager once gave a long speech at a subordinate's wedding.
そんな ことは、聞くまでも ありません。There's no need to ask about something like that.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜までもない / 〜までもなく — there's no need to; needless to (say) — A verb's dictionary form + までもない says something is too obvious or too easy to need doing; 言うまでもなく means 'needless to say'.
- 〜くらいなら — rather than (do that), (I'd sooner) — A verb's dictionary form + くらいなら names something you would hate to do; the second half gives the better choice.
- 〜ことのないように — so that (it) never happens — A verb's dictionary form + ことのないように is the formal 'so as never to', for warnings, rules and a boss's instructions.
- かつて — once; at one time (in the past) — かつて says something was so at one time in the past, and often is no longer; formal.