N1 ところ Expressions

Table of Contents

This page covers some miscellaneous N1 ところ Expressions:

ところがある – Seeming like
ところから – Based on
たところで – Even if/When

ところがある

Vaguely seeming like
Plain form Verb/い Adjective + ところがある
Noun + のところがある
な Adjective + なところがある

～ところがある means “There’s something X about..” or “There are places/times when”
It typically describes a vague feeling or impression about something.
Additionally, it may describe occasional behaviors by a person.

The essence of ところがある is “Vaguely seeming like“
ところ here only means “place” like “There are places in the story that seem a little weird”

This pattern is most commonly used to talk about people. Slight tendency to be used to soften a negative statement. (Source 1) (Source 2)

This pattern can also be used with things that aren’t people.

ところがある is frequently used with vagueness words like 何か、どこか、etc.

ところがある may be used in the negative as ところがない meaning “There isn’t anywhere that…”.

Expressions

This pattern is notable for its expressions:

(何か)含むところがある
Literal meaning: It feels a little like their actions contain…
Actual meaning: They don’t’ seem to like me for some reason.
思うところがある
Literal meaning: There’s places where I feel..
Actual meaning: To be unsure of, to have reservations about

Examples

彼は何か、無責任なところがあるね。。
He kind of has places where he seems irresponsible.
この話には信じられないところがある。
This story has some places where it seems unbelievable. (There are some places where..)
兄弟なのに似ているところがないんだ
Even though they are brothers, there isn’t anywhere similar between them.

ところから

From the fact that..
Sentence/Clause + ところから

ところから indicates the reason for a conclusion.
Tends to be used with states (いる、ある、ている、てある、である、だ、etc)

It is more or less the same as ことから　and ところを見ると.

It is a little more broad than ところをみると, which tends to be used for things you just saw/talked about/confirmed.

ところから could be literally translated as “Based on that one place (aspect)“

ところをみると could be literally translated as “Looking at the one place (aspect)”

Examples

彼女の目が緋色なところから、灼眼と呼ばれている
Because her eyes are red, she is called “Shakugan”. (灼＝灼熱 “Burning”)
その人は大柄で、いつも赤い服を着ているところから “若きサンタ” と呼ばれている
He is called “young santa” because he has a “large” build and always wearing red clothes.
顔が似ているところからすぐ兄弟だということがわかった
Based on how similar their faces were, I immediately understood they were brothers.
黒いスーツを着ているところから、面接のために来たことがわかった
Based on the fact they’re wearing a suit, I knew they were here for an interview.

たところで

Regardless of if../when
Plain past tense (completion tense) verb + ところで

Past tense + ところで has 2 meanings

“when” – Same as てすぐ, たら
Regardless of if.. – Same as ても

The “when” meaning is used for things that occur as/right after another.

The “Regardless” meaning is used to state facts, and not commands or suggestions.
It is usually followed by a negative or negative meaning sentence
It is most commonly used with かわらない

The past tense here is the completion tense, i.e. “Even if it has been done” not “Even if it was done”

Examples

When

改札口を出たところで電車に鞄を忘れたことに気づいた
When I got through the ticket gates I realized I left my bag on the train.
やっと寝たところで赤ちゃんが泣き始めた
Right when I finally got to sleep the baby started crying.

Regardless

頑張ったところで何も変わらない
Even if you try hard, nothing will change. (Lit Even if/when it has been tried hard nothing will change).
先生に言ったところでいじめは終わるどころか、酷くなる
Even if you tell the teacher about the bullying, its not going to stop, it’ll actually get worse.
今更謝ったところで許されないよ。(Source)
Even if you apologize now, you won’t be forgiven.