Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 6: 14/24

は言(い)うまでもない ①It goes without saying (that), (It is) needless to say, I don't need to remind you

Structure

Phrase + は + 言(い)うまでもない

Verb + ということ(1)は + 言(い)うまでもない

［い］Adjective + ということ(1)は + 言(い)うまでもない

［な］Adjective + ということ(2)は + 言(い)うまでもない

Noun + は + 言(い)うまでもない

(1) こと、の、というの
(2) というの、なこと、なの、

Details

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About は言うまでもない ①

は言(い)うまでもない is a structure that combines the adverbial particle は, the う - Verb 言(い)う, two (2) additional adverbial particles まで and も, and the い-Adjective ない. This is regularly translated as 'it goes without saying that (A)', or 'it is needless to say (A)', where (A) is whatever comes before は.

This expression may be preceded by almost any phrase, but is often emphasized even further by the inclusion of こと (or の), or ということ (or の).

Literally, this expression is a combination of the meanings of its individual parts.

は - Presents the topic.

言(い)う - Presents that topic as something that can be said.

まで - Presents 'being said' as an extent.

も - Emphasizes the extent set by まで.

ない - Expresses that extent as not existing.

Fun Fact

This grammar pattern will often be followed by structures such as が, to add a 'but' nuance.

  • 彼(かれ)の日本語(にほんご)がうまいのは言(い)うまでもないが、日本語(にほんご)が上手(うま)いのは日本(にほん)に30年(ねん)住(す)んでいるからである。
    It goes without saying that his Japanese is very good, but he is good at Japanese because he has been living in Japan for 30 years.
  • 一人(ひとり)で山(やま)を登(のぼ)るのが危(あぶ)ないというのは言(い)うまでもないが、気(き)をつけて行(い)けばそれほど危(あぶ)なくはない。
    It goes without saying that it is dangerous to climb a mountain on your own, but if you go cautiously, it is not that dangerous.

Examples

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    困(こま)っている人(ひと)を助(たす)けるべきと言(い)うのは言(い)うまでもない。

    It goes without saying that one should help people in need.

    エネルギーの無駄(むだ)使(づか)いをやめれば、電気代(でんきだい)が下(さ)がることは言(い)うまでもない。

    It goes without saying that if you stop wasting electricity, the electricity bill will go down.

    ともちゃんの大阪(おおさか)での知名度(ちめいど)が高(たか)いことは言(い)うまでもない。

    It goes without saying that Tomo-chan's popularity in Osaka is high.

    「にせあい」がこの世代(せだい)の最良(さいりょう)の漫画(まんが)の一(ひと)つであることは言(い)うまでもないだろう。

    It goes without saying that 'False love' is one of the best manga of this generation.

    生(い)きるのに酸素(さんそ)が必要(ひつよう)なことは言(い)うまでもない。

    It goes without saying that oxygen is essential to live.

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      は言うまでもない ① – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (14 in total)

      • CrisH

        CrisH

        Thanks! Hadn’t come across がな before, and this phrase isn’t mentioned at all as part of the grammar point…

      • Liras348

        Liras348

        ...
      • casual

        casual

        This line of reasoning does make sense, with べき attaching to nouns directly.

        But it also can be followed by だ directly, so it doesn’t universally match verb (or な-adjective, or 連体形 for that matter) behavior. There’s more on it here べき (JLPT N3) | Bunpro and here べき - Grammar Discussion - #16 by nekoyama.

        So the practical approach here might be to just individually remember all constructions with べき that exist.

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