if only, I wish (regret)

Advanced

25-30 min

rare

Expert Reviewed

Explanation

Expresses regret about something that didn't happen. Literary and formal.

[Verb た form/ない form] + ものを

言ってくれればよかったものを。

Itte kurereba yokatta mono wo.

If only you had told me.

早く出発していれば間に合ったものを。

Hayaku shuppatsu shite ireba maniatta mono wo.

If only we had left earlier, we would have made it.

Very literary, rarely used in casual speech.

～ないものか

isn't there some way, I wonder if

～ならいざ知らず

~ might be one thing, but; leaving ~ aside

～てやまない

earnestly wish/hope, never stop ~ing

～をものともせずに

not being daunted by ~, in spite of ~

～んがため(に)

in order to ~, for the purpose of ~ (formal/literary)

Common in literature and formal writing.

JLPTBooks Editorial Team

Japanese Language Education Specialists

Last updated: Jan 2

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