N3 · Expressions (N3)
にとって: for, from the view of
for someone, from where they stand
にとって says from whose point of view a judgement holds: important to me, hard for children.
Noun + にとって + a judgement: 私にとって家族は一番大切だ, "to me, family matters most". The noun is a person or group, and the second half evaluates something from their standpoint: 大切, 難しい, 必要, 便利, 問題だ, 意味がある.
It does not go with ordinary action verbs, and it does not describe how someone behaves towards someone else. "She is kind to me" is 私に優しい, and "good for your health" is 体にいい. にとって is reserved for a point of view, not for the direction of an action or an attitude.
Before a noun it becomes にとっての: 子どもにとっての幸せ, "happiness as a child sees it". With は it contrasts one standpoint with others, with も it extends one: 誰にとっても, "for anyone".
English "for" is the problem. "I bought it for you" is あなたに or あなたのために; "for the exam" is 試験のために; "for an hour" is just 一時間; "good for a beginner" in the sense of "considering" is としては. Only the "for" of "as far as X is concerned" is にとって.
The form
| for (from the view of) | 私にとって |
| for (in contrast) | 私にとっては |
| also for | 私にとっても |
| for anyone | 誰にとっても |
| before a noun | 私にとっての |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
にとって is followed by a judgement: important, difficult, necessary, a problem.
留学生にとって、住むところを探すのは大変だ。For international students, finding somewhere to live is hard.
It is not used for an action done for someone; that is ために or に.
母のためにケーキを作った。I made a cake for my mother.
Behaviour towards someone takes に, not にとって.
彼は誰にでも優しい。He is kind to everyone.
Before a noun, にとって becomes にとっての.
子どもにとっての幸せとは何だろう。What does happiness mean to a child?
A closer look
Four ways to say "for"
Ask what the English "for" is doing. If it is a benefit or a purpose — "for my mother", "for the exam" — Japanese uses ために. If it is the person something is given or done to — "a present for you" — に is often enough.
If it is a standpoint — "difficult for me", "important for farmers" — it is にとって. And if it means "considering what it is" — "good for a beginner", "quiet for a city" — it is としては or にしては. Four Japanese patterns, one English preposition.
How to spot it
- にとって
- にとっては
- にとっても
- にとっての
Example sentences
私にとって、この写真は宝物です。This photo is a treasure to me.
日本人にとっても、敬語は難しい。Even for Japanese people, honorific language is difficult.
田舎に住む人にとって、車は必要なものだ。For people who live in the countryside, a car is a necessity.
社員にとって一番大事なのは健康だ。For employees, the most important thing is health.
この経験は私にとって大きな意味がありました。This experience meant a great deal to me.
子どもにとっては、夏休みが一番の楽しみだ。For children, the summer holidays are what they look forward to most.
8 more example sentences
外国人にとって、日本の住所は分かりにくい。For foreigners, Japanese addresses are hard to understand.
学生にとって、アルバイトはいい経験になる。For students, a part-time job is good experience.
犬は祖父にとって大切な家族だ。To my grandfather, the dog is a precious member of the family.
この仕事は私にとって初めての挑戦です。This job is a first real challenge for me.
雨は農家にとってありがたいものだ。For farmers, rain is a welcome thing.
会社にとっての利益だけを考えてはいけない。We must not think only about what benefits the company.
高齢者にとって、階段の多い駅は不便だ。For elderly people, stations with a lot of stairs are inconvenient.
誰にとっても、時間は限られている。For everyone, time is limited.
Worth knowing (1)
-
にとって and として
親として is the role you act in; 親にとって is the standpoint from which something is judged. 親として心配する is "worry as a parent"; 親にとって心配な問題 is "a worrying issue for parents".
親にとって、子どもの健康は何より大切だ。For parents, their children's health matters more than anything.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Being kind is something she does towards you, and the direction of an attitude is marked with に. にとって would mean "from my point of view she is kind" — possible as a judgement, but not what "she is kind to me" means.
にとって is about whose point of view a judgement holds — never for whom something is done.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.