For A; even though A; considering A
The statement which follows this is a change/unexpected considering what is normal for A
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4点
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.
6点
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.
4点
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.
4点
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.
4点
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
Nihongo So-Matome N3 (日本語総まとめ): 第3週 2日目
Nihongo So-Matome N1 (日本語総まとめ): 第4週 2日目
新完全マスター文法 N2: 19課・~を見て評価すると・~の立場で評価すると
JLPT N3 / Intermediate: Noun Suffixes ③
JLPT N2 / Advanced: Noun Suffixes - に ③
Nihongo So-Matome N1 (日本語総まとめ): 第4週 2日目
新完全マスター文法 N2: 19課・~を見て評価すると・~の立場で評価すると
JLPT N3 / Intermediate: Noun Suffixes ③
JLPT N2 / Advanced: Noun Suffixes - に ③
User notes
0点
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.
4 years ago

0点
に is not the only particle that can be used with the しては form. You can also use と with Nouns.
5 years ago

Discussion about this grammar

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3 years ago (Edited 3 years ago.)
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