immersionlog
Sign inCreate account

〜ならまだしも

X would be acceptable, but

Noun / Plain form + ならまだしも

Sign up free to review this point on a spaced schedule.

ならまだしも grants that a milder case could be tolerated, then complains about the actual, worse case: 一度ならまだしも、三度も遅刻するなんて, "once would be forgivable, but being late three times?".

まだしも means "still better, more acceptable". The first half is the lesser evil, and the second half is what really happened, often ending in なんて, とは or a criticism.

It's very close to ならいざ知らず, and the two are often interchangeable. ならまだしも is a little more conversational and focuses on "tolerable vs. intolerable", while ならいざ知らず suggests "I can't judge that case, but this one…". ならともかく is the most everyday of the three.

Examples

  • 一度いちどならまだしも、三度さんども遅刻ちこくするなんて。

    Once would be forgivable, but being late three times?

  • 冗談じょうだんならまだしも、本気ほんきで言いっているから困こまる。

    If it were a joke, fine, but the trouble is he means it.

  • 少すこしならまだしも、こんなに高たかいとは思おもわなかった。

    A little expensive would be fine, but I never thought it would cost this much.

  • 自分じぶんが損そんをするのならまだしも、人ひとに迷惑めいわくをかけるのは許ゆるせない。

    Losing out yourself is one thing, but causing trouble for others is unforgivable.

  • 雨あめならまだしも、雪ゆきの中なかを歩あるいて帰かえるのは大変たいへんだ。

    Rain would be one thing, but walking home in the snow is hard.

Related