Noun ともなれば

〜to mo nareba

JLPT N1 Very formal, literary Chapter 114: N1: Conditional (If / Assuming That), 1 of 3

Formation

Noun + ともなれば

Expresses 'if it comes to', 'when', or 'once'.

When to use

Formal, literary "once it reaches the point of/when it comes to".

Explanation

The grammar point ～ともなれば is used to stress the likelihood of a change or consequence that comes about due to the situation expressed before ともなれば. It can be translated as 'when it comes to', 'once', or 'if it comes to' in English. It's usually used with nouns.

Example sentences

試験しけんともなれば、大抵たいていの人ひとが緊張きんちょうするものです。

When it comes to exams, most people get nervous.

Shiken to mo nareba, taitei no hito ga kinchou suru mono desu.
彼かれがリーダーともなれば、チームの性能せいのうはさらに向上こうじょうするでしょう。

If he becomes the leader, the team's performance will improve even more.

Kare ga riidaa to mo nareba, chiimu no seinou wa sara ni koujou suru deshou.
夏休なつやすみともなれば、観光地かんこうちはいつも人ひとであふれている。

When it comes to summer vacation, tourist spots are always packed with people.

Natsuyasumi to mo nareba, kankouchi wa itsumo hito de afurete iru.
結婚けっこんともなれば、ただ二人ふたりが愛あいし合あっているだけではすまされない事情じじょうも多おおい。

When it comes to marriage, there are often issues that can’t be solved by love alone.

Kekkon to mo nareba, tada futari ga aishiatte iru dake de wa sumasarenai jijou mo oi.

Conditional (If / Assuming That)

Compare when to use each

Corpus examples (2)

同じ世界せかいながら見みる心こころが違ちがえば地獄じごくともなれば天国てんごくともなる。

To different minds, the same world is a hell, and a heaven.
夜よるともなれば彼かれは好奇心こうきしんを抱いだいて星空ほしぞらを見上みあげたこともあろうと思おもう。

There were times, at falling night, when he looked up with curiosity to the stars.