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JLPT N3Point 105 of 169 in N3

〜はもちろん

はもちろん

Not to mention / A, of course, and also B

〜はもちろん means 'A, of course, and B too'. A is the obvious case that everyone would expect, and the second part adds B, which is less obvious. In negative sentences, A is the bigger thing that is clearly impossible, and B is a smaller thing that is also impossible: 旅行はもちろん、散歩にも行けない. It is used in both conversation and writing.

この歌は、日本ではもちろん、海外でも人気があります。

このうたは、にほんではもちろん、かいがいでもにんきがあります。

This song is popular in Japan, of course, and also overseas.

Structure

Noun + はもちろん (英語はもちろん). With other particles, はもちろん comes after them: ではもちろん, にはもちろん (日本ではもちろん). A verb is first made into a noun with の: 〜のはもちろん (練習するのはもちろん). The second part usually has も or まで (A はもちろん、B も).

Examples

8
  • 田中さんは英語はもちろん、フランス語も話せる。

    たなかさんはえいごはもちろん、フランスごもはなせる。

    Mr. Tanaka can speak French, not to mention English.

  • 旅行の前は、パスポートはもちろん、お金もちゃんと準備しましょう。

    りょこうのまえは、パスポートはもちろん、おかねもちゃんとじゅんびしましょう。

    Before a trip, let's properly prepare money, too, not to mention our passports.

  • このレストランは、味はもちろん、サービスもいい。

    このレストランは、あじはもちろん、サービスもいい。

    At this restaurant, the service is good too, not to mention the taste.

  • 大雨で、電車はもちろん、バスも止まってしまった。

    おおあめで、でんしゃはもちろん、バスもとまってしまった。

    Because of the heavy rain, not only the trains but even the buses stopped.

  • 忙しくて、旅行はもちろん、近くの公園にも行けなかった。

    いそがしくて、りょこうはもちろん、ちかくのこうえんにもいけなかった。

    I was so busy that I couldn't go to the park nearby, let alone go on a trip.

  • この図書館は、学生はもちろん、町の人も使えますか。

    このとしょかんは、がくせいはもちろん、まちのひともつかえますか。

    Can people from the town use this library too, not just students?

  • 毎日練習するのはもちろん、よく寝ることも大切です。

    まいにちれんしゅうするのはもちろん、よくねることもたいせつです。

    Practicing every day is important, of course, but getting enough sleep is important too.

Common mistakes

3
  • Putting the less obvious item first. The item before はもちろん should be the one everyone expects. For a Japanese person, 日本語はもちろん、中国語も話せる is natural, but 中国語はもちろん、日本語も話せる sounds strange, because Japanese is the obvious language for them.
  • Forgetting も in the second part. The added item needs も (or まで): ✕ 子どもはもちろん、大人が楽しめる → ○ 子どもはもちろん、大人も楽しめる.
  • Attaching はもちろん directly to a verb. Make the verb a noun with の first: ✕ 掃除するはもちろん → ○ 掃除するのはもちろん.

How it's different from similar grammar

2
〜だけでなく (not only ... but also)
Both add B to A. だけでなく is neutral: 姉は料理だけでなく、掃除も得意だ (My sister is good not only at cooking but also at cleaning). はもちろん adds the idea that A is obvious: 姉は料理はもちろん、掃除も得意だ suggests that everyone already knows she is a good cook. Use はもちろん when A is the expected, natural case.
もちろん alone (of course)
もちろん by itself is an adverb meaning 'of course' and is often used to answer: 「パーティーに来る?」「もちろん行くよ。」 ("Are you coming to the party?" "Of course I'm going."). Noun + はもちろん links two items in one sentence: A (obviously) and B (also).

How this shows up on the JLPT

In the grammar-form section, はもちろん is usually chosen from a group of noun + particle expressions (にとって, について, しか, こそ). The key is も or まで in the second half and a first item that is obviously true. In reading passages, the part after はもちろん is often the writer's real point, because A is only the obvious background.

Quick check (3 questions)

0 of 3 answered
  1. Choose the best expression for the blank: この公園は、週末__、平日も人が多い。

    このこうえんは、しゅうまつ__、へいじつもひとがおおい。

  2. You are telling a friend what you can buy at a convenience store in Japan. Which sentence is the most natural?

  3. Which sentence is grammatically correct?

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N3 · 105 / 169