としては Japanese Grammar Lesson
Grammar Type: Particle
Essential Meaning: For X / Relative to X (standard of comparison)
Construction:
- Noun + としては
- E.g. 先生としては [For a teacher]
Notes:
- としては is comparable to the English “For…” or “For a…“. It introduces a standard to which something is compared or contrasted. Sentences such as “You ski well for a beginner“, “Demetrious Johnson punches hard for a flyweight“, or “For a Japanese apartment, this is quite spacious” can be expressed in Japanese with としては. In these sentences, beginner, flyweight, and Japanese apartment are used as the standards to which the subjects are compared. Typically, the subject falls into the same category as the standard of comparison (i.e. if the standard of comparison is beginners, the subject will fall into the category of beginner), but this is not necessarily the case.
- E.g. このステーキは日本のステーキとしては安い。[This steak is cheap for a Japanese steak.] In this example, Japanese steaks are the standard of comparison. Relative to this standard, the steak that the speaker is eating is cheap.
- としては closely resembles the expression にしては, but there are some slight differences. Namely:
- (1) X にしては pre-supposes that the subject in fact falls into the category of X. In the sentence “For a Japanese house, this is quite spacious.“, if にしては is used, the speaker is pre-supposing that the house is in fact a Japanese house. But if としては is used, the house may not actually be Japanese.
- E.g. ジョンソンさんは日本語の一年生としては日本語が上手だ。[Mr Johnson is good at Japanese for a first year student.] In this example, the speaker uses first year students as a standard of comparison, but Mr. Johnson may or may not actually be a first year student.
- E.g. ジョンソンさんは日本語の一年生にしては日本語が上手だ。[Mr Johnson is good at Japanese considering that he’s a first year student.] In this example, the fact that Mr. Johnson is a first year student is pre-supposed by the speaker.
- (2) にしては can be used when the identity of the subject is mysterious or unknown. としては can not be used in this manner.
- E.g. これは本にしては軽すぎるね。[This is too light for a book, isn’t it?] In this sentence, the identity of the object is unknown, and the speaker supposes that it’s a book for the sake of comparison.
- E.g. *これは本としては軽すぎるね。[This is too light for a book, isn’t it?] としては can not be used when the identity of the subject is unknown.
- (1) X にしては pre-supposes that the subject in fact falls into the category of X. In the sentence “For a Japanese house, this is quite spacious.“, if にしては is used, the speaker is pre-supposing that the house is in fact a Japanese house. But if としては is used, the house may not actually be Japanese.
Example Sentences:
このステーキは日本のステーキとしては安い。[This steak is cheap for a Japanese steak.]
ジョンソンさんは日本語の一年生としては日本語が上手だ。[Mr Johnson is good at Japanese for a first year student.]
これは日本のアパートとしては大きい方です。[For a Japanese apartment, this one is on the big side.]
WILD Examples:


***YouTube videos may be region-locked depending on your country of origin. If you experience issues, please try using a VPN set to a United States IP address.***