Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 5: 9/21

にしては

(Even) considering, (Even) for

Structure

Verb + にして
Noun + にして

Details

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    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About にしては

Like として, にして highlights an aspect of something from which another thing happens. The primary difference being that と implies that (B) results from (A), while implies that (B) happens/exists at the same time as (A). This reflects the case marking particle 's use as a location. The adverbial particle は presents the entire (A) phrase as something that will be compared.
にしては is regularly translated as 'considering (A), (B)', or 'even for (A), (B)', and may be used with both verbs and nouns. Like として, にして is often considered as a stand-alone adverbial particle, despite stemming from several parts.
  • (かれ)毎日(まいにち)漢字(かんじ)勉強(べんきょう)ているにしては全然(ぜんぜん)漢字(かんじ)()ない
    For someone that studies kanji every day, he can't read it at all.
  • (はじ)たばかりにしては結構(けっこう)じょうずだね。
    Considering you have just started, you are considerably good.
  • 田舎(いなか)にしてはコンビニいっぱいあるね。
    Considering that this is the countryside, there are many convenience stores.
  • あの(ひと)俳優(はいゆう)にしてはあまりイケメンじゃない
    Considering he is an actor, he is not very attractive.
Despite the 'considering (A), (B)' translation, にしては is closer in meaning to 'while (A), (B)'. This expresses that (A) and (B) share a simultaneous relation, but also that (B) is not necessarily a result of (A) at all.
  • 中卒(ちゅうそつ)にしては(あたま)いいけど大卒(だいそつ)同級生(どうきゅうせい)(くら)べるそうでもない。
    Considering that he is a middle school graduate, he is smart, but compared to a college graduate of the same age he is not that smart.
  • 新人(しんじん)にしてはよく(はたら)けど(ほか)(くら)べるとあまり(はたら)いていない
    For a new worker he works a lot, but compared to others, he doesn't work that much.

Examples

  • 力士(りきし)にしては結構(けっこう)(ほそ)ですね。

    Considering he is a sumo wrestler, he is quite thin.

  • (かれ)は10(ねん)(かん)日本(にほん)()んでいるにしては(まった)日本語(にほんご)をしゃべれない。

    (Even) considering he has lived in Japan for 10 years, he can't speak a word of Japanese.

  • 田舎(いなか)にしてはいい(ほう)ですよ、うちの(いえ)は。

    Considering it's in the countryside, my house is decent.

  • (ねこ)にしては(おお)きすぎませんか?

    (Even) for a cat, isn't it too big?

  • うどんにしては随分(ずいぶん)(ほそ)(めん)だな。

    Considering it's udon, these noodles are quite thin.

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にしては – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (7 in total)

  • mrnoone

    mrnoone

    @Johnathan-Weir
    I have updated the link!

    Thank you!

  • HotAirGun

    HotAirGun

    I’m kinda confused by this example sentence:

    (彼女は)政治家にしてはかなり若いから、少し不安ですね。
    Considering (she) is a politician, (she) is quite young, so I am a bit anxious.

    Why in the last part the doer is “I”, not “she”? It depends on the context, or maybe there is some rule I don’t know?
    If there is a sentence like

    Considering she is a politician, she is quite young, so she is a bit anxious

    how it would look like in Japanese?

  • Daru

    Daru

    Because it’s being read from a given speakers’ viewpoint. You’re stating that because she’s young, that’s giving you anxiety.

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