N2 · Expressions (N2)
ものの: true, but
although, admittedly
Grant the first fact in full, then admit that it did not lead where it should have.
ものの joins two clauses like "although" or "it is true that …, but". It follows the plain form of a verb or an i-adjective — 買ったものの, 安いものの — and a na-adjective with な: 便利なものの. A noun cannot take it directly; it needs である in between: 学生であるものの.
What ものの adds is a concession. The speaker accepts the first half in full — yes, I bought it; yes, it is cheap — and then says that it did not go where it might have. Very often the second half is a falling short: 買ったものの、一度も使っていない, "I did buy it, but I have not used it once". The commonest shape by far is たものの: something was started or done, and nothing came of it.
It belongs to writing and to careful speech. けど says the same in conversation, and のに adds a complaint that ものの leaves out. Like のに and にもかかわらず, the second half reports how things stand; it is not a request, an order or a plan.
English speakers mostly stumble on the noun. "Although he is a doctor" is neither 医者ものの nor 医者だものの; the noun needs である: 医者であるものの. In the past the ordinary だった is fine: 医者だったものの.
The form
| after a verb, past | 買ったものの |
| after a verb, present | 分かっているものの |
| after an i-adjective | 安いものの |
| after a na-adjective | 便利なものの |
| after a noun | 学生であるものの |
| opening a sentence | とはいうものの、… |
The rules one by one
Verbs and i-adjectives take ものの in the plain form.
駅から近いものの、家賃が高すぎる。It is close to the station, but the rent is too high.
A na-adjective keeps な; a noun needs である.
彼は有名な作家であるものの、生活は質素だ。He may be a famous writer, but he lives simply.
たものの is the commonest shape: something was done, and it went no further.
免許は取ったものの、ほとんど運転していない。I did get my licence, but I have hardly driven since.
The second half states how things are; it is not a request or a plan.
頭では分かっているものの、なかなか実行できない。I understand it in my head, but I find it hard to act on.
A closer look
ものの, けど and のに
Put the same two facts through three different joints. 買ったけど使っていない is conversation: neutral and relaxed. 買ったのに使っていない complains — somebody ought to be using it. 買ったものの使っていない concedes: yes, it was bought, and the buyer admits that nothing followed.
That flavour of admission is why ものの so often describes the speaker's own unfinished business, and why it reads naturally in a diary, an essay or a report. It has nothing to do with ものだ at the end of a sentence, which states what is generally true; the two share only the noun もの.
How to spot it
- ものの
- たものの
- であるものの
- とはいうものの
Example sentences
新しいパソコンを買ったものの、まだ箱から出していない。I did buy a new computer, but I have not even taken it out of the box.
体に悪いと知ってはいるものの、たばこがやめられない。I know it is bad for me, and still I cannot give up smoking.
試験には合格したものの、点数はぎりぎりだった。I passed the exam, though only just.
料理は得意ではないものの、毎日自分で作っている。I am no great cook, but I make my own meals every day.
引き受けたものの、一人では無理だと分かった。I took it on, and then realised I could not do it alone.
命に別状はないものの、しばらく入院が必要だ。His life is not in danger, but he will need to stay in hospital for a while.
7 more example sentences
仕事は見つかったものの、給料が安い。I found a job, but the pay is poor.
行くと約束したものの、当日になって気が重くなった。I promised to go, but when the day came I did not feel like it.
この辞書は便利なものの、少し重い。This dictionary is handy, if a little heavy.
熱は下がったものの、まだ咳が出る。The fever has gone down, but I still have a cough.
企画は面白いものの、予算が足りない。The project is interesting, but there is not enough money for it.
住所は分かっているものの、行き方が分からない。I know the address, but not how to get there.
謝りたいと思ったものの、なかなか言い出せなかった。I wanted to apologise, but could not bring myself to say it.
Worth knowing (1)
-
とはいうものの opens a sentence
とはいうものの — "that said", "be that as it may" — takes the whole previous sentence as the fact being granted and opens a new one with the qualification. It is common in essays and careful speech, and it warns the reader that a "but" is coming.
春になった。とはいうものの、まだ寒い日が多い。Spring is here. That said, there are still plenty of cold days.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
ものの attaches to a form that can stand before a noun, and a bare noun cannot. In front of ものの a noun takes である, just as a na-adjective takes な. Neither the bare noun nor だものの is correct.
ものの grants the first half and admits that the second fell short — and a noun needs である first.
Your turn
9 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.