connective N3 common casualpolitewritten
〜ことは〜が — admittedly ~, but ~
ことは
Builds on こと
Meaning
- admittedly ~ / it's true that ~ (but) — grants a point by repeating the word around ことは, then qualifies it
Key sentence
読んだことは読んだが、よく分からなかった。
I did read it, but I didn't really get it.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| V/A ことは + same V/A + が | X ことは X が ／ けど | 高いことは高いが (it is expensive, but…) |
Examples
行くことは行くけど、あまり気が進まない。
I'll go, all right, but I'm not too keen on it.
便利なことは便利だが、値段が高い。
It is convenient, sure, but it's pricey.
When you can't use it
- The same word is repeated on both sides of ことは — verb (した ことは した), い-adjective (高い ことは 高い), or な-adjective (好き な ことは 好き). It concedes the fact is true, then a が/けど clause walks it back.
Notes
- The grudging, emphatic concession ('it's true, but…') is the whole point — stronger than a plain けど. The 〜には〜が frame (会うには会ったが) works the same way.
See ことは in real sentences
Jengo shows ことは the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.