All JLPT grammar
N1

Noun1 が Noun1 なら、 Noun2 も Noun2 だ

Criticizes both sides as equally bad; 'like A, like B', 'A is bad and B is no better'.

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At a glance

N1 が N1 なら、N2 も N2 だ means "N1 is bad, and N2 is no better." It criticizes two related people or groups as equally bad.

N1 が N1 なら、N2 も N2 だ。

親おやが親おやなら、子こも子こだ。 The parents are hopeless, and the kids are no better.

How to form it

Part Attaches to Example
N1 が N1 なら The same noun twice 親おやが親おやなら
N2 も N2 だ A second noun, related to N1, twice 子こも子こだ
Variant: N1 も N1 なら も instead of が, same meaning 親おやも親おやなら、子こも子こだ
Polite ending です instead of だ 子こも子こです

Register: a critical, somewhat exasperated comment. It is usually said about other people, not to them.

Examples

  • 親おやが親おやなら、子こも子こだ。

    Like parent, like child (both are equally bad).

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The rest of the lesson

When to use it, common mistakes, nuances and a quick check, with spaced repetition to make it stick.

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