JLPT N1 grammar
〜にせよ／〜にしろ — Meaning & Examples
"Even granting that... / whether... or" — concedes a point, then insists on the conclusion anyway. 忙しいにせよ、返事はすべきだ.
〜にせよ／〜にしろ — "Even Granting That... / Whether... Or"
にせよ and にしろ (interchangeable, にせよ slightly more formal) concede a point while insisting the main claim still holds — "granting X, still Y."
Pattern: [plain form / noun] + にせよ／にしろ
忙しいにせよ、返事ぐらいするべきだ。
= Even granting that you're busy, you should at least reply.
賛成するにせよ反対するにせよ、意見を言うべきだ。
= Whether you agree or disagree, you should voice your opinion.
冗談にせよ、あの発言はひどすぎる。
= Even if it was a joke, that remark was too much.
にせよ／にしろ vs であれ〜であれ:
・であれ〜であれ → two neutral alternatives, both irrelevant to the rule (男であれ女であれ)
・にせよ／にしろ → concedes one point, then insists on a conclusion anyway (忙しいにせよ、〜すべきだ)
Quick recap of the whole "no matter" family:
・(よ)うが／(よ)うと = no matter what/how (resolve) 💪
・うが〜まいが = whether or not (indifference) 🤷
・であれ〜であれ = whether A or B (fairness) ⚖️
・にせよ／にしろ = granting X, still Y (concession) 🎯
🎊 You can now express resolve, indifference, fairness, and concession — the full spectrum of "no matter"!
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on 〜にせよ／〜にしろ. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 「忙しいにせよ、返事ぐらいするべきだ。」 means?
- Even granting that you're busy, you should at least reply
- Because you are busy, don't reply
- You are never busy
- Busy people cannot reply
Show answer
Answer: Even granting that you're busy, you should at least reply
にせよ／にしろ = even granting that... — concedes the point (busy) but insists on the conclusion (should reply) anyway.
2. What is the key difference between であれ〜であれ and にせよ／にしろ?
- They are identical in all uses
- であれ〜であれ cannot be used with nouns
- にせよ／にしろ is only used in questions
- であれ〜であれ presents two neutral options; にせよ／にしろ concedes a point then insists on a conclusion
Show answer
Answer: であれ〜であれ presents two neutral options; にせよ／にしろ concedes a point then insists on a conclusion
であれ〜であれ = fairness across two neutral alternatives; にせよ／にしろ = concession followed by an insisted conclusion.
Practise 〜にせよ／〜にしろ in the free app
This point is part of the “"No Matter What" — (よ)うが／うと・うが〜まいが・であれ〜であれ・にせよ／にしろ” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N1 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N1 grammar points
From the same lesson: "No Matter What" — (よ)うが／うと・うが〜まいが・であれ〜であれ・にせよ／にしろ
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜にせよ／〜にしろ mean?
"Even granting that... / whether... or" — concedes a point, then insists on the conclusion anyway. 忙しいにせよ、返事はすべきだ.
Is 〜にせよ／〜にしろ on the JLPT N1 test?
〜にせよ／〜にしろ is taught in the JLPT N1 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “"No Matter What" — (よ)うが／うと・うが〜まいが・であれ〜であれ・にせよ／にしろ”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜にせよ／〜にしろ?
Open the “"No Matter What" — (よ)うが／うと・うが〜まいが・であれ〜であれ・にせよ／にしろ” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N1 mock exams, with no ads.