Once you get to: 〜ともなると／〜ともなれば
名詞・動詞辞書形 + ともなると／ともなれば
X ともなると／ともなれば = “once you get to X”: at that level (status, age, season, scale), the situation naturally changes.
In short
〜ともなると (or ともなれば) means “once you reach X, at that level”. X is a notable level: a status, an age, a season, a scale, a major event. What follows describes what naturally changes once that level is reached, or what goes without saying at that level. Written and formal spoken register.
- 社長ともなると、休日でも仕事の電話が鳴りやまない。しゃちょうともなると、きゅうじつでもしごとのでんわがなりやまない。When you're a CEO, the phone never stops ringing, even on your days off.
- 十二月ともなれば、街はどこもクリスマス一色になる。じゅうにがつともなれば、まちはどこもクリスマスいっしょくになる。Once December comes, the whole city is decked out for Christmas.
- 結婚式に招待するともなると、それなりの準備が必要だ。けっこんしきにしょうたいするともなると、それなりのじゅんびがひつようだ。When it comes to inviting people to a wedding, you need proper preparation.
The basics
も adds emphasis (“even, going as far as”) and なると／なれば says “when one becomes”. Together: “once you get to X”. Picture a ladder: X is a high rung, and at that height things are different.
The sentence often expresses something obvious or expected: at that level, naturally…
When you're a CEO, you're busy even on your days off.
- noun
- grammatical form
- adjective
- 社長ともなると、休日でも忙しい。しゃちょうともなると、きゅうじつでもいそがしい。When you're a CEO, you're busy even on your days off.
- 子どもも中学生ともなれば、親の言うことを素直に聞かなくなる。こどももちゅうがくせいともなれば、おやのいうことをすなおにきかなくなる。Once children reach secondary school, they no longer do as their parents say.
How to form it
Put ともなると or ともなれば directly after a noun or a verb in the dictionary form. The two forms are almost equivalent; ともなれば sounds slightly more hypothetical and measured. In speech, you also hear ともなったら.
| Before | Construction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| status, age | noun + ともなると | 部長ともなると |
| time, season | noun + ともなれば | 連休ともなれば |
| scale, quantity | noun + ともなると | 百人ともなると |
| major action | dictionary verb + ともなると | 海外に住むともなると |
- 参加者が千人ともなると、会場探しも簡単ではない。さんかしゃがせんにんともなると、かいじょうさがしもかんたんではない。Once you get to a thousand participants, even finding a venue isn't easy.
- 海外に移住するともなれば、家族の理解が欠かせない。かいがいにいじゅうするともなれば、かぞくのりかいがかかせない。When it comes to emigrating, your family's support is essential.
Which X? A notable level
X has to represent a threshold: a high rank, an age, a busy period (年末, 連休, 真夏), a large number, a weighty decision. With an ordinary noun, with no idea of a level, the sentence sounds wrong: you'd simply say 〜は or 〜になると.
- 連休ともなれば、観光地はどこも人であふれる。れんきゅうともなれば、かんこうちはどこもひとであふれる。Over long weekends, every tourist spot is overflowing with people.
ともなると, になると, ともあろう
になると is neutral: 春になると暖かくなる (“in spring, it gets warmer”). ともなると adds “at that level, it's a different story”. ともあろう, which looks similar, is used on the contrary to reproach: someone of that rank shouldn't behave like that.
| Form | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜になると | neutral change | 夜になると寒い |
| 〜ともなると | high level: it's natural that… | 社長ともなると忙しい |
| 〜ともあろう人が | high rank: it's unworthy that… | 社長ともあろう人が遅刻とは |
- 部長ともあろう人が、会議に遅れるとは。ぶちょうともあろうひとが、かいぎにおくれるとは。That a director should turn up late to a meeting!
Common mistakes
- Choosing an X with no sense of level: “犬ともなると” means nothing without an implied scale.
- Confusing it with ともあろう: ともなると describes what's normal at that level, ともあろう reproaches unworthy behaviour.
- Putting an order or an invitation in what follows: you're describing a general situation or expectation.
7 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N1 point is on the Kyūshū Line (Values and society) of the Shinkansen.