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Which part deserves the most attention? 「こそ」 highlights something especially important that you should pay attention to.

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Lesson notes · ≈ JLPT N2 · Intermediate 1

〜こそ・〜からこそ~koso / ~kara koso

emphasis and precise reason

Use 「〜こそ」 to single out something important and 「〜からこそ」 to stress that it is precisely the reason.

How it works

Which part deserves the most attention? 「こそ」 highlights something especially important that you should pay attention to.
Should you buy it right away just because it is cheap? 「からこそ」 stresses that precisely because it is cheap, you should think it over more carefully.
Attach 「こそ」 directly to a noun. 「注記こそ」 singles out the note as something to pay particular attention to.
With verbs and い-adjectives, use the plain form + からこそ, as in 「安いからこそ」, to emphasize the reason.
With nouns and な-adjectives, use 「だからこそ」. It means “precisely because that is the case.”

「こそ」 highlights “this very thing.” It does not necessarily mean “only this”; other things are not necessarily excluded.

「こそ」 highlights “this very thing.” It does not necessarily mean “only this”; other things are not necessarily excluded.

The example stresses that being cheap is the very reason to think carefully. A low price does not mean you really need it.

The example stresses that being cheap is the very reason to think carefully. A low price does not mean you really need it.

Example sentences

初めてはじめてhajimete行くいくiku店みせmiseこそ、koso、看板かんばんkanbanをoよくyoku読んだほうよんだほうyondahouがgaいいです。iidesu。
It is precisely when going to a shop for the first time that you should read the sign carefully.
安いやすいyasuiからkaraこそ、koso、本当ほんとうhontouにni必要ひつようhitsuyouかkaどうdouかka考えたほうかんがえたほうkangaetahouがgaいいです。iidesu。

In a conversation

A
この店、みせ、一部いちぶ商品しょうひんはわセールせーるの対象外たいしょうがいなんだね。
A: Some items in this shop are excluded from the sale, aren't they?
B
小さなちいさな文字もじの注記ちゅうきこそ、見み落とさないように気おとさないようにきをつけないとね。
B: It is precisely the small print notes that you need to be careful not to overlook.
A
本当ほんとうだ、下したの方ほうに小さくちいさく書いかいてあるね。
A: You're right, it's written in small letters at the bottom.

Check yourself

Level 1 · Recognise
Which sentence is correct?
Level 1 · Recognise
Listen and choose the meaning
Level 2 · Build
Put the words in order
It is precisely at a shop you are visiting for the first time that you should read the sign carefully.
Level 3 · Use
What goes in the blank?
初めて行く店____、看板をよく読んだほうがいいです。
Especially when going to a store for the first time, you should read the signs carefully.

More grammar in this theme

〜ているongoing state or practice
〜によってvaries depending on
〜のうちにbefore a state changes
〜のわりにsurprisingly, considering
〜がいいんじゃないgentle suggestion or advice
〜ようになっているsystem feature or mechanism
〜に限りlimited to a date or group
〜こそ・〜からこそemphasis and precise reason
〜につきper unit; due to
〜ということですso that means
〜でしょうかgentle question or request
〜はずだshould; expected to
〜向けintended for

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Dining and Shopping Information

Precisely because it is cheap, you should think about whether you really need it.