Grammar Info
N2 Lesson 9: 23/23

も~ば~も
…and…, both ... and ...,... and ... as well

Structure
Noun (A) + Verb[ば]+ Noun (B)

Noun (A) + [い]Adjective[ば]+ Noun (B)

Noun (A) + [な]Adjective + なら + Noun (B)

Noun (A) + Noun + なら + Noun (B)
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
も~ば~も is a construction in Japanese which presents aspects of something to which both (A) and (B) are true. も will be connected to a noun, before the hypothetical marking particle ば will appear following a verb, い-Adjective, な-Adjective, or noun. In the case of nouns and な-Adjectives, なら or ならば will be used.
In this way, も~ば~も just highlights that ‘If (A) is true, then so is (B)’. This usually just emphasizes that (A) and (B) are things that go together hand-in-hand, with one trait or characteristic always existing if the other does. Standard translations include ‘both (A) and (B) are (C)’, or ‘the trait of (C), is in (A) and (B) as well’.
  • お父(とう)さんはイタリア語(ご)出来(でき)れ、スペイン語(ご)話(はな)せる。
    My father can speak Italian and Spanish.
  • 日本(にほん)の冬(ふゆ)は湿度(しつど)低(ひく)けれ、温度(おんど)低(ひく)いから外(そと)で火(ひ)を使(つか)う時(とき)は気(き)をつけないといけない。
    Winter in Japan is cold and dry, so you have to be careful when using fire outside.
  • このギターの音(おと)好(す)きなら柄(がら)好(す)きなので、一生(いっしょう)手放(てばな)したくありません。
    I like the sound and the design of this guitar, so I never want to let it go.
  • マルチ商法(しょうほう)の話(はなし)を聞(き)くたびに、騙(だま)す方(ほう)騙(だま)す方(ほう)なら、騙(だま)される方(ほう)騙(だま)される方(ほう)だといつも思(おも)う。
    Whenever I hear about pyramid schemes, I always think that if the scammers are scammers, then the scammed are scammed. (I always think that the scammers and the scammed are both at fault.)
Caution - With も~ば~も, both traits must be things that share some sort of mutual connection. This means that both (A) and (B) will either be positive, neutral, or negative, but never a mixture of any one.
  • あの居酒屋(いざかや)のスタッフの態度(たいど)よけれ、値段(ねだん)高(たか)いから人気(にんき)がある。
    The attitude of the staff at that izakaya is good and it is expensive, which is why they are so popular. (Unnatural Japanese)
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彼(かれ)は、スポーツ上手(じょうず)にできれ仕事(しごと)効率(こうりつ)よくできる。
He can play sports well and do his job efficiently.
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彼女(かのじょ)は地位(ちい)なけれお金(かね)ない。
She has neither status nor money.
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総理大臣(そうりだいじん)は、経済(けいざい)見直(みなお)しできれ、人権(じんけん)問題(もんだい)解決(かいけつ)できそうです
The Prime Minister looks like he can reform the economy and resolve human rights issues.
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