For A; even though A; considering A
The statement which follows this is a change/unexpected considering what is normal for A
15
８月にしてはとても過ごしやすいね。
Passing the time (e.g. in this weather, etc.) is really easy, considering it's August.
19
今日は平日にしては市場が賑わっているね。
The market is really crowded today, considering that it's a weekday.
14
あの子にしてはここまでよくやりました。
For that child, they did quite well up until this point.
14
メキシコにしては涼しくて過ごしやすいね。
Given that it's Mexico, it's cool and easy to pass the time.
13
君は素人にしては筋がいいぞ。
You’ve got skills for an amateur.
Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
にしては vs. にしても
While these two expressions share the same usage patterns and have similar meanings, the unexpected result that follows them differs.
For にしては, AにしてはB shows a result B that is often the opposite that you would expect of A.
Ex. アメリカ人にしては中国語が上手です。
Normally, you would expect an American to be bad at Chinese, so being good is the opposite of that expectation.
For にしても, AにしてもB shows a result B that is even more than what you would expect of B.
Ex. 素人にしても、この料理はまずい。(Even for an amateur, this food is disgusting).
While you would not expect an amateur cooker to have great food, this shows that the subject of the sentence had even worse cooking than you'd expect for someone of their level.
For にしては, AにしてはB shows a result B that is often the opposite that you would expect of A.
Ex. アメリカ人にしては中国語が上手です。
Normally, you would expect an American to be bad at Chinese, so being good is the opposite of that expectation.
For にしても, AにしてもB shows a result B that is even more than what you would expect of B.
Ex. 素人にしても、この料理はまずい。(Even for an amateur, this food is disgusting).
While you would not expect an amateur cooker to have great food, this shows that the subject of the sentence had even worse cooking than you'd expect for someone of their level.
Where this grammar is found
Grammar usage notes
に is not the only particle that can be used with the しては form. You can also use と with Nouns.
A Dictionary of Japanese Grammar states twice (in the Basic and the Advanced part), that there is no usage of にしては with i-adjectives. Furthermore 新完全マスターN2 uses only examples without i-adjectives, but Internet research brings up examples with i-adjectives (like here), but also a lot which explicitly forbid this kind of usage.
にしては と わりに の使える場合
にしては：Aから予想・期待する状況とは違ってB
わりに：一般的な基準から乖離している
年齢、身長、値段など尺度を表す単語
・彼は年齢 にしては／のわりに 若く見える
形容詞
・このレストランは高い にしては／のわりに あまりおいしくない
未確定な内容
・A：このきのこは何だろう？椎茸かな？
B：椎茸 にしては／のわりに 大き過ぎると思います
彼、彼女、○○さん、などの個人
・今回のプレゼンテーション、鈴木さん にしては／のわりに よく頑張った
Questions/Discussion
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