Meaning & usage
まして or the more emphatic ましてや is a sentence adverb that escalates a previous statement. In negative contexts it means much less or let alone, while in affirmative contexts it means even more so or not to mention. It stands at the start of the second clause, often followed by nouns with particles like なんて, など, は or も, and the second clause may be left incomplete. It sounds formal and is common in writing.
Example sentences 8
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僕は自転車を買う余裕がなかった。まして車なんて。
I could not afford to buy a bicycle, much less a car.
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彼はフランス語が話せる。まして英語は話せる。
He can speak French, not to mention English.
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彼はフランス語が得意です。まして英語はなおさらです。
He's good at French, but much better at English.
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彼は英語が話せません。ましてやドイツ語も話せません。
He cannot speak English, much less German.
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彼は浮くことさえできない。まして泳げない。
He can't even float let alone swim.
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彼は自動車を買う余裕はない。まして家は買えない。
He cannot afford to buy a car, much less a house.
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私は中古車を買う余裕がない、まして新車は買えない。
I can't afford to buy a used car, much less a new one.
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彼は教師ではない、まして学者などではない。
He is not a teacher, much less a scholar.
In past JLPT papers
This came up in 2 past exam questions.
