connective N1 uncommon politewritten
もっとも — though
もっとも
Meaning
- though / mind you / that said — tacks on a qualifying reservation that partly limits the previous statement
Key sentence
彼は毎日走っている。もっとも、雨の日は別だが。
He runs every day. Mind you, rainy days are an exception.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sentence-initial connective | （先行文）。もっとも、… — the qualifying clause typically trails off with 〜が / 〜けど | もっとも、いつも混んでいるが |
When: Speech and writing; flags a caveat the speaker adds to their own statement.
Examples
この店は安くておいしい。もっとも、いつも混んでいるが。
This place is cheap and good. Though, it's always crowded.
試験には受かった。もっとも、ぎりぎりの点数だったが。
I passed the exam. That said, it was a borderline score.
Easily confused with
Notes
- Distinct from 最も 'most' (the superlative adverb) and もっともだ 'reasonable/understandable'. This connective もっとも is written in kana and means 'though / mind you'.
See もっとも in real sentences
Jengo shows もっとも 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 Advanced Japanese Grammar. Editorial confidence: medium.