Meaning & usage
もっとも concedes that someone's words, feelings, or actions are reasonable and understandable in the situation. It follows a nominalized plain clause with のももっともだ or のはもっともだ, as in 怒るのももっともだ, and it can also stand alone at the start of a sentence to mean admittedly before adding a contrasting point. The polite form ごもっともです is used in formal settings to accept a complaint, and this usage is different from 最も meaning most.
Example sentences 7
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彼女がそういうのももっともだ。
She may well say so.
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彼がその画家を尊敬するのはもっともだ。
He may well respect the artist.
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彼がその計画に反対するのももっともだ。
He has good reason to be against the plan.
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あなたが怒るのももっともだ。
You have good reason to be angry.
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彼がひどく怒るのはもっともだ。
He may well get very angry.
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お怒りはごもっともです。
We understand your anger.
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彼が、自分の給料について不平をいうのももっともだ。
He may well complain about his salary.
In past JLPT papers
This came up in 2 past exam questions.
