Japanese grammar
What does ～も～なら、～も～だ mean? Japanese grammar N1
～も～なら、～も～だ means both… and… are equally at fault / terrible.
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N1 |
|---|---|
| Structure | N + も + N + なら、N + も + N + だ |
| Romaji | mo nara, mo da |
| Meaning | both… and… are equally at fault / terrible |
Forming it
| Noun (side) | 政治家 + も + 政治家 + なら、国民 + も + 国民 + だ |
|---|---|
| Noun (person) | 親 + も + 親 + なら、子 + も + 子 + だ |
How to use it
Repeats two different nouns to criticize BOTH sides equally. Colloquial, critical.
- 「AもAなら、BもBだ」 criticizes BOTH sides equally: "A is just being A, and B is just being B" — both are equally to blame.
- Different in nuance from 「AがAなら、BもBだ」 (N1-094): the 「が」 version implies B is bad BECAUSE A is bad (a knock-on effect); the 「も」 version simply lists both sides as equally bad.
- The repeated noun carries a negative evaluative meaning, not its literal meaning.
Examples
親も親なら、子も子だ。
The parents are hopeless, and so are the children.
政治家も政治家なら、国民も国民だ。
The politicians are as bad as the public.
Keep in mind
- The two clauses repeat two different nouns.
- Always carries a disparaging tone.
Common mistakes
-
Wrong夏も夏なら、冬も冬だ。
Summer is summer, and winter is winter.
Correct親も親なら、子も子だ。
This pattern is used to CRITICIZE two responsible parties (people/organizations); it doesn't combine with neutral nouns like seasons.
-
Wrong親も親なら、子もいい子だ。
The parents are hopeless, but the child is a good kid.
Correct親も親なら、子も子だ。
Both clauses must share the same critical tone and the same noun-repeating structure.
Exam tips
- 「AもAなら、BもBだ」 = both sides are equally to blame; different from the 「が」 version (B is bad because A is bad).