JLPT N1 grammar

〜も〜なら、も〜だmeaning and usage

Meaning

Both A/B and C/D are bad.

How to form it

  • nounもnounならnounもnounだ

How it is used

Each noun is said twice (「親も親なら子も子だ」) to blame both sides: 'A is bad, and B is just as bad'. Spoken and reproachful. 「も〜なら〜も」 instead lists two features of one thing.

Examples

  1. あの会社のサービスはひどいんだ、 社員も社員なら会社も会社だ。

    That company's service is awful. The employees are bad, and the company is just as bad.

  2. 宿題を写させてくれと頼む彼も彼なら、それを見せる君も君だ。

    He's bad enough for asking to copy your homework, and you're just as bad for letting him see it.

  3. 夜中まで騒ぐ隣の学生も学生なら、注意しない大家も大家だ。

    The student next door who makes noise until the middle of the night is bad enough, and the landlord is just as bad for not saying anything.