誘拐
は成功
したものの、誘拐
された男
が口
を割
らなかった。
Even though the kidnapping was a success, the geezer we snatched wouldn’t talk.
Alright mate, settle down and listen up. Today we’re gonna talk about a wicked bit of grammar, 〜ものの (monono). It’s a proper useful one for when you’re trying to say that somethin’ happened, but it didn’t quite go how you thought it would. It’s a bit like saying “even though” or “although” in English. It shows a contrast, yeah? Like, “even though we planned the job perfectly, it all went a bit pear-shaped.” You use it when the result is unexpected or disappointin’. You’re basically sayin’ “we did this, but despite that, this other thing happened.” It’s a proper good way to show a bit of disappointment or surprise.
So, 〜ものの is a formal way to say ‘even though’ or ‘although’. It’s dead similar to 〜が, 〜けど, or 〜けれども, but it carries a more formal, literary feel. It’s the kind of thing you’d hear in a serious report or an official statement, not so much when you’re just havin’ a chinwag with your crew. It gives off a proper serious vibe, like you’re makin’ a big statement about a situation that didn’t go to plan. It’s proper good for expressin’ that something didn’t work out despite your best efforts.
Listen up, this bit’s a doddle.
| Japanese | English |
| 動詞の辞書形 + ものの | Even though I do/did (verb)… |
| い形容詞 + ものの | Even though it is (i-adjective)… |
| な形容詞 + な + ものの | Even though it is (na-adjective)… |
| 名詞 + である + ものの | Even though it is (noun)… |
Right, so to use 〜ものの, you just stick it on the end of a verb in its dictionary form. Easy, yeah? For い-adjectives, you just whack it on the end. For な-adjectives and nouns, it’s a bit different. You need to add な for the な-adjectives and である for the nouns. It’s not somethin’ you’ll just be chuckin’ into every sentence, but when you need to sound a bit more serious and proper, it’s the one. Don’t get caught slippin’ on this one, yeah?
Think of 〜ものの like a getaway car that breaks down right after a job. The plan was perfect, the crew was on point, and the loot was in hand, but despite all that, the motor conks out. You’ve done everything right, but you still got a problem on your hands. 〜ものの is that engine breakin’ down, the moment where the good work you put in is cancelled out by some unexpected hassle. It’s the spanner in the works. It’s the moment you feel proper mugged off.
Here’s some new slang for ya to get your head around, proper useful stuff for your next job.
金の延べ棒 (きん の のべぼう)
English: Gold bar; gold ingot.
Right, listen up. This ain’t your nan’s jewellery. This is the big stuff, the proper gear. When you’re talkin’ about 金の延べ棒, you’re talkin’ about serious wealth, the kind you gotta hide in a vault or bury somewhere safe. It’s what the big-timers chase, the prize at the end of a proper score. It’s heavy, it’s shiny, and it means you’ve made it.
愚痴をこぼしている (ぐち を こぼしている)
English: Grumbling; complaining.
You know the type. The geezer who’s always whingin’ and moan’in’ about somethin’. He ain’t happy with the split, the job went sideways, or the Old Bill is sniffin’ about. When someone’s 愚痴をこぼしている, they’re letting all that air out, like a flat tyre. It’s all a load of noise, though. You gotta stay quiet and keep your head down.
バラバラにする (ばらばら に する)
English: To take apart; to dismantle.
This one’s proper heavy. バラバラにする ain’t about takin’ apart a bit of scrap metal. It’s about somethin’ more serious. You’re talkin’ about breaking somethin’ down, makin’ it disappear so no one can put the pieces back together. It’s a proper clean-up job, you get me? If a motor’s been used, you バラバラにする it. If a deal’s gone wrong, you バラバラにする the evidence. It’s about makin’ sure there’s no trace left.
犯罪歴 (はんざいれき)
English: Criminal record.
Everyone’s got a past, but some have a longer one than others. Your 犯罪歴 is your story, written by the coppers. It’s your list of previous jobs, your run-ins with the law. It’s why you can’t get a proper job or travel to some places. It’s the baggage you carry with you, a testament to the life you’ve lived on the wrong side of the tracks. It’s a permanent stain, you can’t scrub it off.
無罪になる (むざい に なる)
English: To be acquitted; to be found not guilty.
Listen, sometimes you get nicked, yeah? And you’re sittin’ in front of a judge, and everyone’s lookin’ at you like you’re a wrong’un. But if your brief is top-notch and the evidence ain’t there, you walk away clean. 無罪になる means you’re off the hook. The coppers thought they had you, but you slipped right through their fingers. It’s a beautiful thing, mate. It means you lived to fight another day.
Right, listen up. Here are some proper examples so you can see how it works in real life. Some of these are just some everyday gaffs, and some are a bit more serious, you get me?
その金
の延
べ棒
は本物
であるものの、盗品
なので売
ることはできなかった。
Even though that gold bar was real, we couldn’t fence it because it was stolen goods.
金持
ちであるものの、彼
はいつも金
のことで愚痴
をこぼしている。
Even though he’s proper loaded, he’s always whinin’ about money.
彼
の体
をバラバラにしたものの、身元
はすぐに判明
した。
Even though we dismembered his body, his identity was quickly revealed.
偽札
は精巧
に作
られているものの、一
箇所
だけ致命的
なミスがあった。
Even though the counterfeit money was made with wicked precision, there was one fatal flaw.
仕事
は簡単
だったものの、手伝
ってくれる仲間
がいなかった。
Even though the job was easy, I had no mates to help me.
組織
を裏切
ったものの、彼
は今
もまだ生
きてるらしい。
Even though he betrayed the gang, he’s apparently still alive.
その麻薬
は安全
だと言
われたものの、何
人
かの客
が死
んだ。
Even though that gear was said to be safe, a few of our customers ended up dead.
犯罪歴
は消去
したものの、警察
は俺
たちの過去
を知
っていた。
Even though we erased our criminal records, the police knew about our past.
警察
に自首
したものの、俺
の兄弟
は刑務所
に入
った。
Even though I turned myself in, my brother went to the slammer.
証拠
は全
て揃
ったものの、そいつは無罪
になった。
Even though we had all the evidence, that geezer got off scot-free.
Right, that’s ya lot. Now get out of here before I get well vexed.
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