Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 53

Every form compared (1)

さえ/すら/ですら/だに/たりとも/とて・次第/や否や/が早いか/なり/そばから/と見るや・のみならず/はおろか/にとどまらず/もさることながら/に限ったことではない・をよそに/を顧みず/をものともせずに/を押して/いかんに関わらず/によらず/であれ/ようが

In this lesson, you will learn to choose the right form when several N1 patterns look alike: the ways to say 'even', the ways to say 'as soon as', the ways to say 'not only' and 'let alone', and the ways to say 'despite' and 'whatever'. It is April 1, the start of Lisa's third year at the company, and she teaches two new hires from the notebook Ai once gave her.

By the end you will be able to say

新人の頃は、人に教えることなど想像だにしませんでした。When I was new, I never even imagined I would be teaching anyone.

資料が届き次第、ご連絡します。I'll get in touch as soon as the materials arrive.

利益はおろか、費用も出ませんでした。Profit was out of the question; we did not even cover the costs.

周りの心配をよそに、彼女は最後まで書いた。Paying no heed to everyone's worry, she wrote to the end.

一日たりとも休まずに、練習しました。I practiced without missing a single day.

The grammar in this lesson

'Even' compared: さえ / すら / ですら / だに / たりとも / とて — The everyday さえ, the written すら, the fixed だに, たりとも after 'one', and とて for someone who might seem the exception.
'As soon as' compared: 次第 / や否や / が早いか / なり / そばから / と見るや — 次第 looks ahead to a promise or a request; the others report what happened the instant something else did, each with its own color.
'Not only' compared: のみならず / はおろか / にとどまらず / もさることながら / に限ったことではない — のみならず adds; はおろか puts one thing out of the question; にとどまらず goes past a limit; もさることながら stresses the second thing; に限ったことではない says it is not one case alone.
Despite and regardless compared: をよそに / を顧みず / をものともせずに / を押して / いかんに関わらず / によらず / であれ / ようが — Four ways to go ahead in spite of something, and four ways to say 'whatever it is'.